Foreordained Part One
by Ivan Mayne
Summary: 1000 years before the movie events...another saga with new heroes begins.


FOREORDAINED: PART ONE A Martial Arts Screenplay By Ivan Mayne  
  
EXT. CHINA DAY These are some of the misty peaks of Southwestern China.  
  
CAPTION: CHINA, THE MID-9TH CENTURY  
  
They form a magnificent range, rising out of the ground like great pillars propping up the heavens.  
  
Given that this is the dawn, they are still mostly enshrouded in thick and swirling mists.  
  
The early morning sun peeks over the clouds, as we swoop over the area from a bird's eye view, we hear the narration:  
  
NARRATOR The light is the first thing we are born to.  
  
As the narrator says this, the sun rises over the nearby peaks, illuminating this area.  
  
NARRATOR(CONT.) It comes to us out of the darkness and the suffocating heat, from which we burst forth. The light is the right of all, though some are born to much more of it...  
  
At this moment an eagle flies out of the corner of the screen and flies into the distance.  
  
And as it does so we slowly FADE TO BLACK.  
  
And as the screen still remains black, we hear the narration again,  
  
NARRATION(cont.) ...And others are not.  
  
Then against the black background we see as four normal-looking guys dressed in Chinese robes, and all carrying swords.  
  
EXT. SQUARE NIGHT Then slowly we see as they walk into a square.  
  
Just then, torches all seem to be simultaneously lit as the men pass, sending showers of sparks up into the air as they do so.  
  
The men prepare themselves and draw their swords.  
  
It turns out that there is an almost mystical aura surrounding the blades of their swords.  
  
They walk across the square carefully.  
  
One of them appears to be the leader, and he guides as the other swords emit their glow.  
  
NARRATOR Legend has it said that this light finds it representation in the human soul from time to time, and that they existed hundreds of years ago.  
  
Just then from a corner of the screen comes another presence, emerging out of the darkness.  
  
This is a warrior dressed head to toe in body armor.  
  
The four men begin getting confused, just then their swords, already glowing, start flickering, to the point that sparks are revealing themselves all over the place.  
  
LEADER  
  
Oh shit.  
  
Then from them we zoom up, until we get a top down shot of the whole place.  
  
People dressed in sinister black, emerging from the shadows, are approaching them from all sides.  
  
NARRATOR  
  
But there are some with the absence of light, and in their souls there is nothing but the cry for blood, borne out of an insatiable thirst.  
  
A top of lightning crosses the sky, lighting up a tall pagoda.  
  
A clap of thunder, drowning out what appear to be human screams, follows this.  
  
Then we FADE TO BLACK.  
  
NARRATOR  
  
But between the light and the dark, other paths can exist for one to take. There is the path of power.  
  
Then we FLARE TO WHITE.  
  
INT. UNDERGROUND CAVERN This is a large underground cavern, in which we see a stone bridge, that hangs over a stream of knee-deep water.  
  
Into this cavern we see as two men enter.  
  
One of them is a middle-aged, gracious looking swordsman. This is HUO DING CHU. He approaches from one end of the bridge.  
  
Another man enters from the other side of the cavern, this is LEI SHUN JING. He is a much older man, with an air of unmistakable defiance about him. His beard is white, and his eyes piercing. On his back he carries three swords, and around his waist one.  
  
HUO DING CHU I have come to end it once and for all, Lei Shun Jing, you old thief.  
  
LEI SHUN JING Old Huo, If you have come to end it, you have come to do so only for yourself.  
  
HUO DING CHU I shall have to see for myself then, you old plague.  
  
Huo Ding Chu removes his sword from its scabbard, it is a long, thin and sharp double bladed sword.  
  
Lei Shun Jing also removes the sword that is around his waist, this one is ornate and long with an exquisitely patterned blade and handle.  
  
LEI SHUN JING Did I ever tell you that I love swords? This one was collected off a fool who tried to challenge me.  
  
HUO DING CHU You are famous for that, I believe.  
  
The two start fighting.  
  
Their swords clash, whirl and weave across each other, forming arcs of silver light that stand out in the cave's darkness.  
  
There seems to be no clear winner as they do so.  
  
Lei Shun Jing's sword weaves in and out, up and down, like a flying fish skimming across the waves of the ocean.  
  
After a series of attacks, we see as he ducks as Huo Ding Chu waves his sword against his neck, which would have decapitated him if he were a lesser opponent.  
  
But he doesn't, instead, Lei Shun Jing spreads his legs apart, and delivers a lower roundhouse kick to Huo Ding Chu, who dodges it and leaps back.  
  
Then Huo stands in a defense pose, on one hand his forefinger and middle finger are the only ones sticking out, the rest are folded in.  
  
While his sword is at defense, ready to accept any attack from Lei Shun Jing.  
  
Then Lei Shun Jing sheaths his sword, slowly.  
  
He twirls it in his hand first, a virtuoso display of agility.  
  
Then he sheaths it into a scabbard around his waist. This scabbard, like the sword, is equally beautiful and ornately patterned.  
  
Huo glares at Lei as he does so.  
  
Lei Shun Jing stretches out his arms, his hands appear to be empty.  
  
LEI SHUN JING Come on, attack.  
  
Huo Ding Chu smirks as he looks at Lei Shun Jing.  
  
HUO DING CHU What trick do you have up your sleeves, old man?  
  
LEI SHUN JING  
  
That was just time to see how good you really were. (Beat) The truth is that though I love swords, I'd rather collect them. It's a good reminder of my own strength.to be the strongest is what I wish to be, nothing short of that.  
  
HUO DING CHU There's always someone greater than you don't you know that?  
  
LEI SHUN JING  
  
I know you are definitely weaker, prepare to meet your doom!  
  
Lei Shun Jing then takes out the piece de resistance, his true weapon, it is a long chain, which he takes out from his sleeve.  
  
Huo Ding Chu readies himself for the attack.  
  
Lei Shun Jing starts whirring the chain about.  
  
Then he leaps up into the air and throws it.  
  
The chain's end wraps itself along Huo Ding Chu's sword.  
  
Huo Ding Chu then leaps backward with his sword, taking the chain along with him.  
  
Lei Shun Jing pulls the chain back in a fatal tug-of-war.  
  
Huo Ding Chu is pulled off his feet and is sent flying through the air by the force of Lei Shun Jing's pull alone.  
  
Luckily as he is hurled through the air he manages to plant one foot of his on the railing of the bridge, and using that foot as a pivot, he brings his other foot across and in one fell swoop, leaps off the bridge.  
  
SLOW MOTION SEQUENCE And after doing so, he starts twirling the chain around his sword.  
  
As the chain becomes more and more taut, Lei Shun Jing is also pulled along.  
  
But the old man knows what is going on, leaping up onto the railing of the bridge and off it with a whole lot more speed and agility than his opponent.  
  
Then we see as his feet land in the water.  
  
The resulting splash caused by his feet alone is huge.  
  
When the splash ends, so does the Slow motion sequence.  
  
He pulls on the chain again with his dogged determination, now using his sword to complement it, but not as a normal melee weapon, but.  
  
He rests his hand on the scabbard, thereby now only holding the chain with one hand, which is still strong enough to stand a draw in the tug of war.  
  
Then Huo Ding Chu sees his chance, then instead of going along, he motions his sword so quickly that soon it is out of the many loops that are around it, and while the chain is still in mid-air he uses his sword like a bat and smashes it backwards so that it comes hitting towards Lei Shun Jing.  
  
Lei Shun Jing sees this and immediately twirls through the air, as he does so the chain wraps around his arm with amazing speed.  
  
Simultaneously he whips out the sword in the scabbard around his waist that he has been planning to use with the hand that has the chain wrap, and instead of holding it in the conventional sense.  
  
CLOSE UP on his fingers, we see as he lets go of his sword, his chi sending it forward, and then using two fingers he gives it a little flick, like one would flick a marble.  
  
The sword flies forward with amazing speed and heads for Huo as a ranged projectile.  
  
Huo tries to block it with his blade but just then we see that the sword is stopped in its course.  
  
It is a female warrior that has stopped it, her short black hair framing her pale and luminous face, this is none other than ZHEN XI LING, student of Huo Ding Chu. For a young girl of her age, she shows a strangely strong will.  
  
She has landed so lightly that none of the two men have noticed her. We see that blood is dripping from her hand. Zhen Xi Ling just grabs her Master by the hand and the two of them leap onto the bridge.  
  
An enraged Lei Shun Jing calls after them.  
  
LEI SHUN JING That was meant for your heart! Don't you forget that!  
  
He leaps after them onto the bridge.  
  
They have a fight. The two combined swords now move with utter grace and precision, offensive and defensive at the same time, master and disciple face off Shun Jing ferociously.  
  
But he handles them well, using a combination of both his palm and the chain, he makes quite a formidable defense.  
  
The chain being a long range weapon, requires distance to use, therefore, when he leaps out the reach of his opponents, he uses the chain, which can snake around under his firm control most obediently.  
  
When his opponents close in, he uses his free hand and his feet, using only a short length of chain that he swipes and whirls around ferociously to distract his opponents.  
  
But his opponents are no less skilled than he together: they complement each other perfectly, if one attacks, the other defends.  
  
A few times they nearly manage to cripple Lei by swiping off his legs.  
  
At other times they nearly decapitate had not he managed to dodge.  
  
Once we see that one of them has targeted Lei Shun Jing's legs and is about to hew them off, another has targeted his neck, and then at this point they retract so that the blade narrowly misses, and using one hand, hits the wrist of the other whose sword is about to come crashing down.  
  
But it soon becomes evident that the two of them are getting more and more in an advantageous position compared to him, their complimentary sword maneuvers are getting a little too much for his length of chain alone to handle.  
  
It is then that he retracts the chain back into his sleeve, and as his opponents are unaware and charge him with their swords, he leaps up into a kick.  
  
Just enough to force the two of them back.  
  
He steps back, and stretches out his hands, both of which are empty.  
  
LEI SHUN JING Now go, both of you, I have no more business with you now. (Pause) If I can't have the sword now, I'll have it another day.  
  
Just then Ding Chu cries out.  
  
HUO DING CHU  
  
I'm finishing you off, you old monster!  
  
ZHEN XI LING No, Master!  
  
As he rushes towards Shun Jing with his sword, the latter dodges the first blow of the sword and then in a few moves too quick to behold.  
  
We see that he has hit Huo Ding Chu with his palm.  
  
He starts spitting out blood.  
  
Lei Shun Jing retreats.  
  
LEI SHUN JING Now go, I have nothing to do with any more of you people.  
  
Xi Ling carries her master out of the cave.  
  
Shun Jing just watches as the two of them walk out of the cave.  
  
There is a look on his face that reveals a true sense of loss. Loss of sword, or loss of worthy opponent?  
  
As of now everything is hard to tell, the camera moves further and further away from him.  
  
NARRATOR Those on the path of power are lured by the sole attraction of power alone, to them nothing else would matter.  
  
FADE TO BLACK.  
  
EXT. BARREN HEATH DAY On the ground, we see puddles of mud that have just formed from rain. Droplets of rain are still falling on the ground at this point. The fog is so thick one can barely see more than twenty paces from where one stands. In the puddles a traveler is reflected.  
  
This traveler we see is a ragged-looking man, with a weather-beaten but still strangely handsome face. Slowly he is revealed to us in full form.  
  
This is THE PRODIGAL SON.  
  
In his hands he is holding a crooked staff, and on his head he is wearing a straw hat.  
  
Where he is walking is one of those barren heaths with muddy soil and stark, bare trees. It is a deathly landscape.  
  
But the way he walks is so insouciant, his gait so nonchalant; that one would have not he was walking in the most normal environment.  
  
As he walks he looks around, whistling to himself.  
  
POV SHOT: We are looking at him from some other person's POV, but we do not see who it is.  
  
But from the way he speaks we can tell that it is the narrator.  
  
NARRATOR As you can see, to him power means nothing. He is humble, and takes only the sky above his head and the ground below his feet as his home, and he laughs the world off with a swig of wine. (Beat) But can you say that he is of true enlightenment?  
  
Then he is joined in by a female voice.  
  
FEMALE VOICE  
  
No, Master.  
  
NARRATOR  
  
Why is it that you say that he is not enlightened?  
  
FEMALE VOICE  
  
Because of the fact that the world means nothing to him, but it means everything to us. The world of man is what gives our clan its meaning.  
  
NARRATOR  
  
Good, because that has always been our belief.  
  
Slowly the two of them are revealed. Both are dressed in robes of dark blue with gold trimmings. The two of them are standing atop one of the tree's branches. The narrator is a sharp-looking middle-aged man with hair tied back in a bun and fastened with a pin. This is HUANG YAN SHEN, one of the prominent members of the Hidden Mountain Society.  
  
The woman is young and beautiful, but somewhat harsh and severe-looking. Her eyes are pools of midnight, and her hair trails behind her like a waterfall cascading. This is WU MO LI, one of his most favored disciples.  
  
HUANG YAN SHEN I do not know how long it has to be before that man can come to his senses. His skill makes him a formidable warrior, but to waste his life as this aimless wanderer, is pure I would almost say madness!  
  
Just then Prodigal Son passes near their tree, and doesn't seem to notice anything.  
  
Then he takes a swig of wine from a gourd he has tied around his staff.  
  
He looks around lazily.  
  
Just then he shouts upwards.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Can any one of you tell me where the nearest village is?  
  
He doesn't appear to be talking to anyone, in his seemingly half-drunk state.  
  
But then while looking in a completely different direction, suddenly we hear this come out of his mouth.  
  
PRODIGAL SON HUANG YAN SHEN, senior of the Hidden Mountain Society, may I just know where is the nearest village?  
  
Up in the trees, Wu Mo Li is startled.  
  
WU MO LI He actually knows where we are!  
  
Her master shakes his head.  
  
HUANG YAN SHEN Child, you have a lot to learn, this man is not to be underestimated. Lost in the world, his sense of good and evil wears thin. There are many people like him, approach with caution.  
  
WU MO LI Our brothers and sisters are all over this place, you think he can beat us? There are twenty of them and only one of him, how can he.  
  
HUANG YAN SHEN There is nothing that is certain.  
  
Just then the twenty of the Hidden Mountain members erupt from the ground, dressed in protective ninja clothing.  
  
Five of them converge on Prodigal Son as they leap through the air.  
  
But Prodigal Son just smiles, and we SPEED UP: He leaps into action, waving his staff left and right, he strikes all of them in mid-air, felling all of them in one swoop.  
  
Prodigal Son smiles when he finishes the task, and he now shouts at Huang directly.  
  
Meanwhile the rest of the Hidden Mountain Men look on, afraid, since they are nearly all of but mediocre martial arts skills.  
  
PRODIGAL SON  
  
Old Huang, I am asking you out politely and nicely, why did you ever lay an ambush for me here? I just want to know the way to the nearest village.  
  
Huang and his disciple leap off their tree and land in front of Prodigal Son. They bow.  
  
HUANG YAN SHEN My apologies to you. The nearest village is forty miles north of here. You will not miss it.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Then all is forgiven, as it should be.  
  
Prodigal Son nods and walks on.  
  
FADE TO BLACK  
  
EXT. TOWN DAY By now the fogginess of the previous scene seems to have disappeared, the day is bright and clear.  
  
The Prodigal Son has now wandered into this small town, and he appears very happy doing so.  
  
This small town, we see, is located at the foot of some very tall mountains.  
  
He starts whistling once more as he walks over to a tavern by the roadside.  
  
There he sits down, and then the tavern owner walks over to him. This is a man of medium height, with a bit of a belly.  
  
TAVERN OWNER  
  
What might you like, sir?  
  
PRODIGAL SON Oh the usual.  
  
The tavern owner smiles and departs.  
  
When he re-emerges, he is carrying the jug and the cups for wine, and something else.  
  
Besides him is a strapping, good-hearted-looking youth. There is something very childlike about his demeanor.  
  
This is XU WAN GANG.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Ah, there you are, it's such a wonder, my boy, to see how much you have grown.  
  
TAVERN OWNER  
  
Xu Wan Gang, you remember this man I've told you about, don't you, Prodigal Son.  
  
XU WAN GANG and TAVERN OWNER (simultaneously) He who takes the sky above his head as his roof, and the ground below as his floor.  
  
Prodigal Son laughs.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Excellent, the both of you recite my catchphrase so well! (Beat) Come here, I have something to show you.  
  
Prodigal Son reaches deep into his robe and pulls out a small fragment of metal tied around a string.  
  
The fragment is shiny, and the sunlight glances off it as it reflects light into the eyes of Wan Gang, causing him to block his eyes temporarily.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Now I want you to keep this little bit tied around your neck, Wan Gang, for good luck. Keep it well, because it is entwined in your destiny.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
How can this fragment of metal me entwined in my destiny?  
  
PRODIGAL SON Well, my boy, that is something that you will slowly see for yourself. (Beat) And here is another treasure that I have brought from the faraway lands.  
  
He takes it out, it looks like a dead swallow, eyes looking at the youth with distant aloofness.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
A dead swallow? What kind of a present is that?  
  
PRODIGAL SON  
  
Not exactly a dead swallow either, mind you.  
  
He takes out what looks like a turnkey from one of his pockets, and inserts it into the back of the swallow.  
  
He starts turning the turnkey.  
  
Then we see as the wings on the mechanical swallow slowly begin to flutter, then all of a sudden the swallow springs to life and flies through the air.  
  
The surrounding townsfolk clap their hands in rapturous applause.  
  
Some just stare open-mouthed at the flight of the mechanical swallow as it flies over the eaves and back, landing on Prodigal Son's finger.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
That.that is.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Magical, oh yes, this is from a man in a great city far to the East of this village, there they make lots of exquisite goods like these! A true Master Artisan, I can only sigh that all seems so wrong with the world now, travel has become so hazardous. (Beat) I am sure he would have loved to study the nature here.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Study nature?  
  
PRODIGAL SON Oh yes, he always saw the truth, that man, that the voices of the powers that be speak to us by manifesting themselves in nature, and all of its components.  
  
The mechanical bird on Prodigal Son's arm starts to preen itself, as though it were a real bird.  
  
Then it lands on one of the tables at the tavern.  
  
Prodigal Son gestures to the bird, and then to Xu.  
  
PRODIGAL SON I want you to destroy that bird, Wan Gang and do it now.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Destroy it, but that is such a marvelous creation!  
  
PRODIGAL SON You must destroy it, I want you to!  
  
The Tavern Owner smiles at Xu Wan Gang.  
  
TAVERN OWNER He said it, boy, remember what I told you, if he says it, you gotta do it.  
  
Xu rather unwillingly removes his sword from its scabbard.  
  
SLO_MO CLOSE UP on the sword: we can see that it is a masterful creation, with etchings that mark the love of a real craftsman.  
  
Then he brings the sword down on the mechanical swallow in a single swift attack, but still a rather obvious one.  
  
The swallow escapes.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Do not underestimate that bird! It has a will to live, and you have just awakened it!  
  
Xu doesn't really seem to be listening, as he takes a few more swipes at the bird.  
  
We can see that he himself is no ordinary combatant, because these swipes by any standard would have felled a man without a defense.  
  
As this continues we see that there is already a rather substantial crowd gathered on this rather strange event, and some of them are already divided into groups sympathizing with the mechanical swallow and Xu respectively.  
  
Xu takes a few more swipes at the bird, attacking it up and down, left and right.  
  
Soon the mechanical bird is encircling Xu to the extent that if the bird's path were that of a blade, Xu would have been in dire circumstances.  
  
But he is still managing to put up a fight with admirable skill.  
  
Some members of the spectators are already nodding their heads, for they realize that Xu is no ordinary human being for his age.  
  
The mechanical bird is not attacking at random at all, it hovers, swoops, encircles and intercepts in all directions as Xu counters with his sword in one hand, and palm in another.  
  
Xu's palm is just as skilled as his sword, it slices, strikes, cuts and blocks through the air with equal parts skill and dexterity.  
  
The fight has yet to take off, so to speak, and the audience is already quieting down, holding their breath for the next blow to occur.  
  
The swallow and Xu are at a standstill now, the bird hovering, Xu at a standstill, sword pointed and directed at the animal.  
  
Then they fight again: touch, intersect, strike, dodge, counter, lunge, riposte, parry!  
  
The fight is already starting to reach cyclonic proportions.  
  
The crowd parts as it progresses.  
  
Then it takes off, literally.  
  
The bird flies up into the air, Xu takes off after it, leaping high up and landing on a rooftop.  
  
The crowd bursts into applause as Xu chases the bird across the rooftops, taking swipes at it while it dodges and thrusts its own beak back at Xu.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Well, little bird, you're far cleverer than I ever imagined.  
  
As the fight progresses, Xu starts trying out some deceptive moves.  
  
He pretends to make a few strikes at the swallow, which seems to dodge them all, and then we realize that his true attack is awaiting in his free hand.  
  
Putting his index finger and middle finger together, he launches them at the bird like a missile.  
  
It misses, almost as though the swallow has actually figured out this deception.  
  
Then it flies towards him almost too fast and too close for his sword to be of any use, it attempts a few pecks at his face, which he dodges before flipping out of the way and onto the edge of the roof.  
  
Then the swallow takes a flight towards him like a really intelligent shuriken, or a hungrily aggressive opponent, an attack that he welcomes with a slice of his blade, until the swallow comes near and we realize that it is actually going into a vertical climb.  
  
Xu realizes and changes the direction of his sword, which follows the swallow in its climb, and then.  
  
CRACK! One hears the sound of wood splintering.  
  
The audiences start to murmur.  
  
We see the swallow as it tumbles through the air, and then falls down softly on the rooftop.  
  
There is silence, complete silence.  
  
Hu walks over to the swallow, which still seems to be sputtering on the ground, struggling, the last gasp of life emitting from its tiny beak.  
  
Then it springs back to life, almost miraculously.  
  
The spectators clap in unison as they see this.  
  
Hu is struck dumbfounded.  
  
At his seat at the tavern Prodigal Son also looks up and smiles.  
  
The swallow flies right down to him and perches on his shoulder. Then all of a sudden it stops in motion.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Come down, Wan Gang.  
  
Xu Wan Gang just nods and leaps down the roof and into the tavern, where he stops in front of Prodigal Son, who hands the swallow over to him, now again, dead as a doornail. He wraps the bird up in a cloth, along with its key, and hands it over to Xu Wan Gang, who slings the package over one of his shoulders.  
  
PRODIGAL SON This swallow will become your companion for your upcoming quest, treasure his companionship. Wind him up regularly so that he might challenge you to defeat him.  
  
XU WAN GANG And when I do.?  
  
PRODIGAL SON You will have defeated your greatest foe.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
But surely, with the forces of evil gathering upon our land, there will be greater foes?  
  
PRODIGAL SON Do not ask any more questions.  
  
Xu Wan Gang nods.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Then it is my time to set off now?  
  
PRODIGAL SON Yes, it is. You are sure you know where to go?  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
I do.  
  
PRODIGAL SON No you don't. Not by a long shot. Just set off now, before anything happens!  
  
Xu Wan Gang nods, and runs away quickly.  
  
At this point Prodigal Son goes over to another table where a man, middle- aged and slightly graying, sits.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Xu Lian Zhang, my old friend, how have you been doing so far, so many years away from the cries of bloodshed and the ways of the sword?  
  
This man, it turns out, is XU LIAN ZHANG, Wan Gang's adopted father.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG Well enough, but the boy, do you think he will do well?  
  
PRODIGAL SON He has a fine sword to guide him, and a shard that will make others stand back in fear when they see it.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG You have given him the shard?  
  
PRODIGAL SON Yes. It goes back such a long way.  
  
FLASHBACK EXT. PLATEAU DUSK This is the Tibetan Plateau, and on it, two men are sitting, watching the sun set.  
  
One of the men has his back turned towards us, his long hair is flapping in the wind.  
  
The other is YUN ZHUNG WU, man who would become first of the Prodigal Sons.  
  
The man whose face we cannot see has by now unsheathed his sword, which glints blood-red in the setting sun.  
  
This man is known as GUO SUN, THE MAD MONK. His real name is SHI WUSHUANG--- The Undefeated.  
  
GUO SUN For how long have we known each other?  
  
YUN ZHUNG WU Since we were soldiers in that war, mere foot soldiers.  
  
Guo Sun looks back, his face turned towards the sun, we cannot really see his facial features at this point. Then he takes his sword and then performs a few feats of amazing agility with them.  
  
Then pointing towards the horizon, he lets out a long scream.  
  
He lets the sword fall from his hand, and then he collapses to the ground himself.  
  
Yun Zhung Wu hurries over to Guo Sun himself.  
  
YUN ZHUNG WU Are you alright?  
  
GUO SUN I am fine, now take this sword.  
  
Then he closes his eyes forever.  
  
Yun Zhung Wu picks up the sword from the ground, and then sheathes it in his waist belt.  
  
He looks up.  
  
The sky has turned red of an unbelievably rich shade, and the clouds trail across like pieces of silk.  
  
A solitary figure walks down the steps from the palace, and then stands alone in the magnificent square outside it.  
  
We slowly CLOSE IN on this figure, which is none other than Yun Zhung Wu himself.  
  
His eyes are closed.  
  
Nothing seems to be happening.  
  
A tear falls out of the corner of his eye.  
  
CLOSE UP on his hand as it grips the sword.  
  
Then we hear the narration of Prodigal Son.  
  
PRODIGAL SON (v/o) It was at that moment that a feeling of the purest magic came over the first of the Prodigal Sons. (Beat) It was an indescribable feeling, unbelievably joyous and ecstatic, because in the air he could feel that on this earth was ancient and unspoken nobility, and that it existed everywhere, all one had to do was to allow its gentle beauty to touch one's face.  
  
Then Yun looks up to the sky and sees it blazing red in the dusk, at this moment he hears the cry of a bird.  
  
He turns around and sees that on the rooftop of the palace is a great and noble bird, like a hawk.  
  
It flaps its wings and takes off, streaking through the skies, and heading for the glorious horizon, on which may rest something greater than this world.  
  
INT. HOUSE NIGHT Yun enters his large mansion with only the shard left on a dark, rainy night. His family all look at him, furious.  
  
PRODIGAL SON(v/o) Then it was heard that in one night the sword disappeared in my great- grandfather's hands, he said nothing about how it got that way, but all we knew was only the shard remained.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG(v/o) Did anyone ever find it?  
  
PRODIGAL SON(v/o) Not that I know of.  
  
Yun is now wandering alone and laughing as he carves out a walking stick from the branch of a tree.  
  
PRODIGAL SON(v/o)(cont.) My grandfather was racked with guilt for his whole life after, the disappearance of the sword was his failure to guard the heroic essence permeating the universe.  
  
Yun is now already a wanderer, leaving his angry wife and children behind, carrying his walking stick, he walks towards the horizon.  
  
PRODIGAL SON(v/o)(cont.) He fell into drink and despair, his family could no longer accept him, and so he imposed an exile upon himself, and that for every single generation after, that followed right up to my father. An exile that would only end when the great heroes of the past were resurrected. We all had to wear the shard as a reminder of the shame.  
  
FLASHBACK ENDS  
  
Prodigal Son takes another swig of wine.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Up to me. I never bothered wearing the shard, I saw the terrible powers it gives to its user. But I could not let it fall into any other hands than those of my own. Over the years my enemies have clamored for the shard, thinking that their disciples are worthy to wear it and to receive the powers it confers. Two came to me the very same day I came to give you the child. The first was a couple, Mr and Mrs Gu Meng Zhen. They wanted the shard for their child.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG Those two were Wan Gang's parents? They were formidable in their time!  
  
PRODIGAL SON Indeed, in that duel I took down the couple when they attacked. Then it was the other foe's turn. But I decided it should stop because a child had already been orphaned. Before he could take the child I grabbed him along with the shard. I told him that eighteen years later he would receive the child as his follower, and that he would be the best swordsman he would ever take under his wing. The catch: none of us would ever tell him about the truth of his birth. (beat) .and that is why I came to you. Because if I trained him his life would have been without peace, and you are good and trustworthy.  
  
Xu, though, expresses no sympathy at all.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
I have taken care of that boy ever since you gave him to me, and you told me that you would only tell me everything when the time came. (Beat) And so that's it, huh? A myth is what you are sending him away for, a stupid shard of a sword that just resides in legend. Your legend! Some nonsense about a great spirit I don't even believe in, and what basically amounts to a foolish bet with an enemy you could not bother to defeat!  
  
Prodigal Son looks down thoughtfully.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Yes, that's it.  
  
Xu is visibly getting extremely angry at this point.  
  
CLOSE UP on his hand holding the winecup as it starts to shake, then it shakes, even worse than before the second time around, and finally.  
  
IT SHATTERS. Obviously this man is a mean martial arts expert.  
  
The shards of the cup fly everywhere, and he stands up in anguish.  
  
The tavern owner jumps up in fright as he keeps the wine cups a neighboring seat has left behind.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG You know what, you're a nut! Who's this enemy of yours?  
  
PRODIGAL SON Pathfinder.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
Well, I'll be.  
  
PRODIGAL SON I pray that you have trained my boy well enough, he's going to need it.  
  
Xu gets up from the table, and whips out his sword quick as hell from its scabbard. Then he swipes it down through the air before sheathing it again.  
  
The table seems okay at first, then.  
  
A crack appears horizontally right down the table, and it splits into two. The wine jug and cups smash into pieces on the floor.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG I have taught him everything I know.  
  
The tavern owner starts screaming at this point.  
  
TAVERN OWNER  
  
You better pay for that thing!  
  
Prodigal Son just turns coolly and calmly to the Tavern Owner.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Don't worry. I will.  
  
Xu Lian Zhang seethes in anger at Prodigal Son.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
Let me tell you this, you will pay too if anything happens to my boy at the hands of that.that.madman!  
  
Xu Lian Zhang goes off in a huff.  
  
PRODIGAL SON If you have truly taught him everything that you ever knew, I would not have to pay.  
  
He stands there and laughs, then he chucks a bag of coins at the tavern owner.  
  
Just then, the roof of the tavern starts to shake.  
  
Bits of debris come falling down.  
  
PRODIGAL SON They're here.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
Your enemies, huh? Well, someone's got to get rid of them.  
  
The two of them ready their positions.  
  
Just then the roof burst open and a figure falls through, leaping down on the both of them. It is a sinister figure, all alone and dressed in a skintight black suit, and carrying a short staff across his back.  
  
FIGURE I have come for the boy.  
  
PRODIGAL SON He's not here anymore.  
  
FIGURE  
  
Well, then tell me where he's gone. You will be rewarded.  
  
The tavern owner just does not know how to keep his mouth shut and screams at the figure this very moment.  
  
TAVERN OWNER  
  
You better pay for that damage!  
  
The figure shoots an angry glare at the tavern owner and then screams aloud at him, his voice resonating throughout.  
  
FIGURE  
  
I want one jug of wine! Now!  
  
The tavern owner starts to tremble.  
  
TAVERN OWNER Yes sir, yes sir.  
  
He brings the jug of wine over to the angered guest. Then he goes over and shuts the door to the entire place. Now it is sealed. He then slinks off deeply behind the counter and then slowly scrunches himself down.  
  
The figre then takes a huge swig of wine.  
  
FIGURE Now where is the boy?  
  
EXT. GROVE NIGHT This is a quiet grove with a solitary pavilion right in the middle of it. There are a few lights scattered nearby.  
  
All is quiet at this time of night.  
  
In the pavilion, we see a lone man sitting there.  
  
This is a middle-aged man with a thin and bony face that appears as though his skin was a rubber mask jus stretched over, his eyes are burning with ambition and intent.  
  
In front of the man we see another figure, this is a slender, sleek young woman, a teenager of around Xu's age. She is carrying two daggers by her side. This is YUE YING.  
  
The man is her master, known generally as THE PATHFINDER.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
You may recall that when you were old enough I had told you about the bet.  
  
YUE YING  
  
Yes, Master.  
  
PATHFINDER When you were old enough, Prodigal Son would send his challenger over to you, and you must do everything you can to defeat him.  
  
Yue Ying answers her master obediently.  
  
YUE YING  
  
If I do so, and then only will I be able to fulfill my destiny.  
  
Just then someone is seen walking through the shadows, that person is ironically, humming a rather light tune.  
  
It is none other than Xu Wan Gang.  
  
INT. TAVERN NIGHT At this point in time, the figure has laid down the half-full jar of wine on the table after his swig.  
  
He turns to Xu and Prodigal Son.  
  
FIGURE Now where is the boy? By the order of the Darklight Alliance I am asking you that question.  
  
EXT. GROVE NIGHT Yue Ying whispers to her Master.  
  
YUE YING Is that the person you are talking about?  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Watch him, and you will find out.  
  
Xu Wan Gang approaches the pavilion, looking rather clueless. The shard around his neck is glinting.  
  
At this point Yue Ying retreats into the shadows.  
  
XU WAN GANG So this is where Master told me to wait. (Beat) Hello, is anyone there?  
  
INT. TAVERN NIGHT Xu Lian Zhang's eyes are wide in shock has he hears the declaration of the figure.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG (to Prodigal Son)  
  
You made enemies with the Darklight Alliance too?  
  
PRODIGAL SON Everybody's their enemy.  
  
FIGURE Indeed. (Beat) I am Shadowhunter, former mercenary, now gainfully employed. Pleased to meet your acquaintance.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
Should have known a creep like you would have chosen to side them.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Well, in that case, I see that you are indeed in your own right an exceptional man.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG What are you doing, you.you.  
  
By now Xu is extremely pissed.  
  
EXT. GROVE NIGHT In the dark corners Yue Ying's eyes bulge wide open in disbelief.  
  
YUE YING(to herself) Is this guy crazy?  
  
Though her voice is soft, Xu Wan Gang seems able to hear it.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
There you are, come out, stop hiding!  
  
We see as Pathfinder looks on, extremely interested.  
  
INT. TAVERN DAY Prodigal Son walks over to Shadowhunter, who stands at his table, foot propped on the bench, and drinks his wine with a satisfied smile while he nods at Prodigal Son's remarks.  
  
PRODIGAL SON You can tell your Masters that the boy is now headed for an important duel, and that there you can lay down an ambush for him with all of your men, then chop him to pieces and deliver the shard to your Masters. I will tell you the location of the duel provided you.CATCH THIS!  
  
Prodigal Son thrusts his staff forward so that the wine gourd hanging on it is flung towards Shadowhunter as a projectile weapon.  
  
Shadowhunter is no slouch, and using his jug of wine as a shield, blocks the wine gourd so that both containers shatter to pieces upon contact.  
  
He then leaps up into the air, drawing out the very long-hilted saber he has on his back, does a flip in mid-air and lands on the floor in a combat- ready pose.  
  
Xu and Prodigal Son say nothing, but draw their weapons and head on for a clash.  
  
EXT. GROVE NIGHT Pathfinder catches the glimpse of the shard that is hanging around Xu Wan Gang's neck.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
That's him, NOW!  
  
Yue Ying emerges from the shadows, brandishing her daggers, she comes crashing right down on Xu Wan Gang.  
  
He dodges by making a backflip.  
  
CLOSE UP on his hand, he draws his weapon.  
  
Then their blades clash. His single long double-edged sword is pitted against her two single-edged, tapered daggers. He is stronger and surer, but she is younger and faster, and more acrobatic.  
  
One moment he seems to have her cornered, but she runs so fast that before he knows it she is behind her and is attempting to make a stab at him from the back, but with one swift gesture he parries her dagger.  
  
She starts whirling around like a dervish, the blows coming on swifter each time. But all the while his other free hand is in a guarding position, fending off her attacks by hitting the elbow or wrist each time she is about to make a critical move. He realizes she is attempting to close off the distance between them and then delivers a kick that sends her reeling to another end of the clearing in which they fight.  
  
But in the dark as the shot pulls back we see something both combatants are not concentrating upon, there is an AMBUSH around here.  
  
In the dark one of the ambushing men readies an arrow to his bow.  
  
INT. TAVERN DAY The battle in the tavern is raging on, the two men and Shadowhunter are clashing.  
  
Shadowhunter's long-hilted saber is an effective match for taking on the sword of Xu Lian Zhang and the staff of Prodigal Son as it often combines the utilities of both.  
  
SHADOWHUNTER  
  
Come and give me all you've got, I love to fight after drinking!  
  
We also see that at the end of the hilt of Shadowhunter's saber is a very large coin, a picture of a tiger is engraved on it. The coin gleams in the dim light as the fight rages on.  
  
CLOSE UP on the feet of the men as they fight, we realize that they are BARELY touching the floor. These guys are almost hovering a few millimeters above ground.  
  
After many increasingly furious bouts where Shadowhunter goes from thrust- and-parry to wide arcs and sweeps and finally, his saber whirring around in a move of cyclonic intensity. Of which the two men combined seem to have no way to counter.  
  
Finally Shadowhunter manages to break past the heavy defenses that the two men have put up, and deliver two mighty kicks to both of them that send them flying through the air.  
  
The two men though actually do a flip in mid-air and land on their feet.  
  
We see that as they do so their shoes cause dents in the floor. Then the two leap in, surrounding Shadowhunter, who does his best to keep them at bay with wide sweeps of his saber.  
  
As the fury of the fight rages on, we see that the tavern owner is searching fast and frantic behind the counter, looking for something.  
  
EXT. GROVE NIGHT Yue Ying is starting to become amazed by the rate at which Xu can maneuver his sword, he is almost able to predict her moves with amazing accuracy. But Yue is just as skilled in the manipulation of her twin daggers. Jabbing one minute, parrying the next, and narrowly missing Xu in some instances.  
  
Pathfinder looks on, amazed.  
  
PATHFINDER Amazing! Despite the fact that of her two hands holding the daggers, one of them is to act as a distraction for the opponent, that boy is able to see through all this!  
  
From behind Pathfinder a figure seems to emerge from the shadows.  
  
FIGURE Shall I carry on with it, sir?  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
No, do not interrupt the match as of yet.  
  
We see this in display as Yue seems to swish and swirl a dagger all around with her left hand, while her right dagger is twirling, but always by her side, prepared to attack once she catches Xu off guard.  
  
Xu wastes no time and deflects the left dagger with his blade, and at the same time using his free hand, in a grappling gesture, ready to receive the other dagger.  
  
They fight for a while, then they stop.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Who are you?  
  
YUE YING Don't ask me stupid questions, I have no time to entertain that!  
  
The two clash a little more.  
  
Xu's blade comes crashing down, Yue's twin daggers meet it and effectively deflect it.  
  
Xu puts up his sword in a defensive position as Yue closes in, she is unable to break his defensive moves despite her increasing agility. Then she flips over 360 degrees, and with her head down, actually attempts to hew off Xu's feet, but he fends her off with two strikes.  
  
She leaps back again, the two engage each other in a Lufberry Circle, this means that it's becoming increasingly hard to tell the difference between chaser and chased. The blades clash, rotate, separate, parry and whirl round faster than most human eyes can register.  
  
Xu deflects Yue's blade to the side. Leaving her defenceless and he in a position ready to kill her.  
  
But he doesn't.  
  
INT. TAVERN DAY The fight rages on, this time it seems that Shadowhunter is growing increasingly powerful, his attacks ever intense. The two men now have Shadowhunter surrounded and are running circles around him.  
  
At the same time Shadowhunter is also whirring around on his feet, his saber up to the challenge despite the increased intensity. He seems to have eyes at the back of his head judging by the ability to which he can even seem to know the moves that opponents behind him are making.  
  
Then with one slash of his saber to the back, he wounds Prodigal Son right across the chest and then whirring around, kicks Prodigal Son in the chest so that he is flung far, far backwards.  
  
Then Xu Lian Zhang rushes in for the cut, but the "wide open space" that Shadowhunter has left is but a sell for the oncoming attack. Whirring his sword around so that the hilt if pointing away from him, thrusting the sword forward he launches an attack at Xu, hitting him on the chin and knocking his head backwards. Blood spews out of his mouth as he is thrown back.  
  
Xu picks himself up.  
  
The blood drips off him in the dim light. He makes a flying leap over to Shadowhunter, who now looks upon him with much disdain, mouth locked in a sneer.  
  
Shadowhunter thinks this is going to be easy, is he wrong.  
  
Meanwhile the tavern owner is still searching behind the counter for something. Then he finds it.  
  
It is a very big wooden container, and he opens it, inside he finds all manner of gadgets, potions and blades of assorted sizes and shapes.  
  
EXT. GROVE NIGHT Xu Wan Gang is furious as he looks at Yue Ying, who he was just having a to- the-death face-off with minutes ago.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Look, I'm asking, are you the person I was supposed to meet?!  
  
Yue smirks, and then gathering all her strength, pushes the sword back, deflecting it away from her and then delivers a kick to his chest, sending him reeling backwards.  
  
He picks himself up, calm and composed, and then strikes a combat position once more.  
  
The two of them start fighting again, their blades zipping around, forming arcs of silver that gleam in the moonlight.  
  
As they zip around the place, the combined force of their attacks, every thrust, every riposte, every instance of flurry in which they move about, the leaves under their feet start moving. As though there is a cyclone passing through.  
  
Xu Wan Gang is under great control, his attacks are systematic, forceful and powerful. Often they are quicker than the eye can register. If she attacks the top half of his body, his sword maneuvers to defend it even before she reaches.  
  
Yue's daggers though, resembles the shuttles of a maiden who works on the weaving loom in their speed, coming alive in her skilled little hands.  
  
Just as Xu swings his sword left to right while Yue is trying to intercept it, Pathfinder seems to snap in anger as he sits in his pavilion.  
  
PATHFINDER Cheat!  
  
His cry echoes through the dark, both angry and frustrated.  
  
Xu suddenly stops.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
The sword! He has actually given it to you!  
  
Pathfinder throws several needles he has kept in his sleeve at Xu, who raises his sword to parry it, but then we realize.  
  
SLO-MO:The needles fly towards Xu like raindrops, these are very elusive and hard weapons to catch for any ordinary fighter.  
  
But then somehow Xu catches them all.  
  
That in fact all of the needles, thin as they are, have become embedded within the sword itself!  
  
This surprises Xu as he gives the sword a good shake and all the needles fall to the ground.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
You saw that now, it's the chance to prove yourself! Destroy him!  
  
Yue Ying agrees, and then starts attacking Xu rapidly with both her daggers.  
  
The two fight, after a few rounds Xu has struck Yue to the ground, where she lies, then she gets back on her feet, leaping gracefully in a swift arc through the air and leaps in front of Xu, her twin daggers swiping the air.  
  
But he is no slouch either, and he has used his sword to parry the two daggers at both points. Then he twists his sword around, so fast that Yue can no longer hold her own.  
  
Then with one decisive blow he knocks the two daggers from her hands, they land miles away.  
  
Now we see that the ambushed figures in the dark are getting ready with their arrows.  
  
INT. TAVERN NIGHT The tavern owner sorts through the various blades, and then finds one which is around the same length as a dagger, but with a serrated edge.  
  
Meanwhile the standoff between Xu Lian Zhang and Shadowhunter has already taken place. Then the clash begins.  
  
Xu slices a hard one, straight down at Shadowhunter, who attempts to intercept it with his own sword but he just realizes that his sword.goes right through Xu's!  
  
He withdraws his sword, the two of them engage in a few more lightning-fast bouts, and then we see that Xu has entrapped Shadowhunter's blade within his own sword again.  
  
Shadowhunter starts backing off in fright.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
That is the price you pay for underestimating me.  
  
Shadowhunter starts backing off into defense, now confused at this weapon Xu is using.  
  
Xu leaps forward and strikes him with the weapon, he parries, and his saber is stuck in the sword again!  
  
EXT. GROVE NIGHT At this point Pathfinder laughs, and then he rises from his seat in the pavilion.  
  
He walks over to the two former combatants. Yue Ying lying in a state of shock, and likewise Xu Wan Gang, who is squatting in front of her.  
  
Pathfinder walks over to Xu Wan Gang, who puts up a defensive position with his sword.  
  
PATHFINDER Put it down, boy. I will demonstrate to my student the properties of your weapon.  
  
Tremblingly, Xu Wan Gang hands the weapon over to Pathfinder.  
  
Pathfinder touches the blade of the sword with his hand gently.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
This sword's blade is parted in two, but so finely parted it is that at first glance it would appear to be a normal blade, until it engages a weapon head on.  
  
INT. TAVERN NIGHT Pathfinder's narration continues through the transition.  
  
Now we witness the fight between Xu Lian Zhang and Shadowhunter. Right now Xu is definitely on the winning side. He has already entrapped Shadowhunter's saber within his custom-made sword and is now pushing the blade to the ground.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG I have been saving up all of my energy for this one, are you ready?  
  
Shadowhunter can barely nod when Xu Lian Zhang leaps over him.  
  
CLOSE UP on the two swords entangled in each other, and we see that the blade on Xu's sword actually twists and yanks the saber from Shadowhunter's hand.  
  
PATHFINDER(v/o) Then it is capable of entrapping and even yanking weapons with the greatest of ease, especially in the hands of a master.  
  
As Pathfinder narrates we see as the saber is flunked to the other end of the room at the same time that Xu delivers Shadowhunter a kick, flinging him a few metres' distance.  
  
As Shadowhunter picks himself up slowly and painfully, Xu glides over to the other end of the room and picks up the saber.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
You have lost, I don't play games.  
  
EXT. GROVE NIGHT Pathfinder is now speaking to both Yue Ying and Xu Wan Gang, they are seated in the pavilion, and candles have been lit.  
  
PATHFINDER But sometimes even a student as yourself can find yourself in that position when you want to survive, and that hidden strength emerges. (to Yue Ying) Do you understand?  
  
Yue Ying nods, almost meekly.  
  
Pathfinder turns over to Xu Wan Gang.  
  
PATHFINDER(cont.) Well I can guarantee now that for as long as I live, I have not regretted that the shard is with you, you are indeed fearsome enough to live up to the shard's reputation.  
  
Then he lets out one hearty laugh.  
  
Xu Wan Gang looks on surprised, the girl is front of him looks so sweet and demure especially in the moonlight. Then he looks back at Pathfinder, who is now looking more genial than anything.  
  
Out of the shadows of the forest walk the archers that have been lying in wait all along.  
  
The lead archer is named FENG XIAN, and he looks the part of a rough-and- tumble mercenary.  
  
FENG XIAN  
  
Master, I am sure everything is okay now.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Yes, yes, everything is, Feng Xian, everything is.  
  
The archers sit down in outside the pavilion.  
  
XU WAN GANG This sure is one strange night.  
  
PATHFINDER Indeed it should be for you, Xu Wan Gang, things are about to change. The reason Pathfinder is calling him this is because he doesn't know the truth about Xu Wan Gang's parentage.  
  
INT. TAVERN NIGHT Shadowhunter has picked himself up and removes two sets of darts from the folds of his shirt, he is ready to throw them at Xu Lian Zhang, who likewise is prepared with both his weapons.  
  
Then from behind the counter the tavern owner is revealed to have mixed two of the potions in the box in a vial. He now throws the vial over at the defeated Shadowhunter, it explodes in the air in a puff of green smoke, blinding him. Shadowhunter screams and tries to run away.  
  
At this time many people crash through the second-storey paper-screen windows.  
  
At this time Prodigal Son awakens.  
  
PRODIGAL SON  
  
Oh damn.  
  
These are men in blue and gold robes. The members of the Hidden Mountain Society led by Huang Yan Sheng, who leaps onto Shadowhunter and grabs him by the shoulder, pulling him back and flooring him instantly. Wu Mo Li stands beside her teacher and unsheathing her sword, points it around the room.  
  
WU MO LI Don't anybody move, I see that all of you have been engaging in improper conduct and indulging in evil and corrupt practices.  
  
At this point Xu Lian Zhang has boiled into fury.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG Who are you to spout this self-righteousness?  
  
WU MO LI Outcasts and renegades!  
  
Prodigal Son walks slowly over to the members of the Hidden Mountain Society.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Indeed we are of such stock that don't know the least bit of righteousness, so can you try to enlighten us a little?  
  
WU MO LI First of all, he.  
  
She points to Xu Lian Zhang, who has dropped his weapons. Then stamping her foot once on the floor she causes Xu's personal sword to fly up into the air, which she catches with her hand and shows to Prodigal Son.  
  
WU MO LI(cont.) Was using this thing.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Ah, I see. Resorting to foul play.  
  
Xu bursts out in a fit of anger as two members of the Hidden Mountain society put his hands behind his back.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
Blame my fighting methods for being unorthodox, then, that's all you can do! Well, what I know is I beat this envoy of the Darklight Alliance well and good!  
  
Right now we see as Huang Yan Sheng, his hand laid on the shoulder of Shadowhunter, he crunches the shoulder of the man, and Shadowhunter lets out a yell.  
  
Prodigal Son looks on uncomfortably.  
  
When Huang is finished, Shadowhunter collapses to the ground.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
He has led a life of wickedness, I have now crippled him permanently, nothing else needs to be followed.  
  
Huang Yan Sheng goes over and talks to Prodigal Son and Xu.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
Now I would like both of you gentlemen to join us in our coming battle against the Darklight Alliance. At the same time I am offering the two of you a chance to turn over a new leaf.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
Bah! You can go on and on, personally I can see why I need to join you, but no one will get me to turn over a new leaf when I have done nothing wrong!  
  
Xu turns to the tavern owner.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
Give me my kit, and thanks for having safekept it!  
  
The tavern owner nods.  
  
TAVERN OWNER  
  
Now it is my time to follow you.  
  
Prodigal Son stares at him in surprise.  
  
PRODIGAL SON You mean.?  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
He's my friend, Dai Hao Chen, the fast runner. Able to run a thousand miles a day without losing a single breath.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG Well, that's good to know, this is a lair of such extraordinary talent. (Beat)  
  
I worry for all of you here, you know if I hadn't come earlier, talents like yours would have definitely been recruited by the Darklight Alliance! Where is that sense of good and evil within you, if you have any at all?  
  
Xu Lian Zhang just struts towards Huang.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
I don't give a damn about what you have in mind, I just know I have to stop the Darklight Alliance because they don't mean anyone well, and I will use every single means I can to do it.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
That's a wound in your character that evil preys upon. Come gentlemen, we shall set off from here, the rest of the Darklight Alliance's scum can't be far behind.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Indeed, I will take your wise advice on that.  
  
EXT. TOWN NIGHT It has right now started to rain.  
  
In the dark night we see as the newly-formed alliance walks out, Huang Yan Sheng and Wu Mo Li are in the lead.  
  
They are followed by the members of the Hidden Mountain Society.  
  
And at the back are the two "renegades": Prodigal Son and Xu Lian Zhang. Kept watch over by two members of the Hidden Mountain Society, who carry lanterns. Xu is grumbling, but Prodigal just lays a hand on his shoulder.  
  
From ground level the view slowly moves upwards, as we see the procession heads across town and over the bridge.  
  
And from there, it's off into the wilderness.  
  
FADE TO BLACK  
  
EXT. GROVE NIGHT At the grove with the pavilion, Xu Wan Gang is listening to Pathfinder, as he listens he gets increasingly mad.  
  
PATHFINDER So I am really very sorry for whatever it is that happened, because I see that you are indeed worthy of wearing that shard and therefore my student should not have tried to kill you.  
  
Yue Ying is looking genuinely shy, hardly the fierce warrior that she was just moments ago, we see as her cheeks turn red.  
  
YUE YING I am so sorry over what happened just now. My name is Yue Ying. My father died at the hands of the Darklight Alliance.  
  
XU WAN GANG I'm Xu Wan Gang, I was orphaned not by the Darklight Alliance but by a flood in my hometown.  
  
PATHFINDER They call me Pathfinder. (Beat) You see, many years ago I had already heard of the rise of the Darklight Alliance, and I had this bet with Prodigal Son that we both had to pass down our best skills to a new generation before we all got old and died. (Beat) I had no idea why he did not want to train you himself, but apparently sending you to Xu Lian Zhang did you quite a lot of good.  
  
Pathfinder lets out a sigh, and then continues talking.  
  
PATHFINDER Xu is one of the best, his methods are considered unorthodox by many, but still, whatever it takes to get the job done. (Beat) Now I have only one question to ask you, would you wish to join me in the oncoming battle to defeat the Darklight Alliance? You only have to say yes or no.  
  
Xu sits there and thinks.  
  
XU WAN GANG Yes.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Good then, if someone of your talent does not wish to take part in such an important event, I would have considered you good as dead.  
  
Pathfinder smiles at Xu, rather evilly.  
  
PATHFINDER (Cont.) And I would have to do the killing myself.  
  
Then he bursts out into a laugh.  
  
Xu is dumbstruck. Then Pathfinder stands up, and then calls to the mercenaries.  
  
PATHFINDER So come on, it's time to go, we have little to waste, because the Darklight Alliance's forces are sweeping the land.  
  
The mercenaries nod, and take their stand.  
  
Then they set off.  
  
Pathfinder, Xu Wan Gang and Yue Ying follow.  
  
Pathfinder walks on his own, while Yue Ying and Xu Wan Gang are left on their own to talk to each other.  
  
Yue Ying leans over to Xu and whispers to him.  
  
YUE YING Not many people can get past my Master alive. Count yourself lucky.  
  
XU WAN GANG He's creepy, what's it with him?  
  
YUE YING He told me that I was to defeat you if I was to be of any use in the upcoming war against evil, then he saw how good you were and decided that he should let you live. He also told me that he would see to getting rid of me if I didn't do well enough, but now he's really kind of forgotten everything.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Does he really mean it?  
  
YUE YING I don't know, but he has gone through things most people won't understand, he's led a hard life.  
  
XU WAN GANG I don't know, but he sure does not look like a good person to me.  
  
YUE YING He let you live, don't get on his nerves. He's just in a good mood. (Beat) And what about that weapon your Master gave you? Isn't that despicable too?  
  
XU WAN GANG Hey I had no idea it could, it was almost out of instinct that I did that.  
  
YUE YING Instinct? Let me tell you such sharp instinct can only come from someone great. (Beat) Like someone fit to possess that shard. So you better learn about your place, and it's with us, in our war!  
  
XU WAN GANG If I really was someone great, yeah right.  
  
At this moment we someone in the trees, perched on a branch and sulking.  
  
It is none other than Lei Shun Jing, the infamous sword thief.  
  
LEI SHUN JING Haven't seen any worthy competition in ages! Huo Ding Chu, sissy! Cheat!  
  
His eyes open wide as he sees the procession led by Pathfinder travel under the tree he is on.  
  
LEI SHUN JING  
  
Oh yes, wait till you see the surprise that I have prepared for you!  
  
He starts leaping effortlessly from one tree to another, following the procession as he does so.  
  
As the point of view rises higher we see that the procession is walking through the seemingly endless forest towards the horizon.  
  
FADE TO BLACK EXT. WILDERNESS DAWN We are now on a wide plain of grass, on a road through which the procession led by Huang Yan Sheng heads. The dawn colors the sky a resplendent red.  
  
As they walk through the plain, they spot an old man and a young woman lying by the side of the road.  
  
The young woman is giving the old man water from a gourd around her waist.  
  
These two are none other than Huo Ding Chu and Zhen Xi Ling.  
  
The procession stops there.  
  
Huang runs over to the two of them.  
  
HUANG Are the two of you alright?  
  
Zhen Xi Ling nods.  
  
ZHEN XI LING Oh we are so glad to see you, you're.you're a man of great renown, Master Huang, you have no idea how much we need you.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
Fret not, I offer help without hesitation.  
  
ZHEN XI LING I think we've been lucky. My master, he accepted a challenge by Lei Shun Jing, the infamous "Sword Capturer". And even with me helping him, he lost. (Beat) rather badly.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
Well well, we can see that. He'll probably need to recover for a few more days. Lei is a nuisance and a danger to every single one of us.  
  
Huang Yan Sheng turns around and gestures to Wu Mo Li.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG (cont.) Now, my student, you must learn from this.  
  
ZHEN XI LING In the meantime, I have managed to grab hold of one of his swords.  
  
Zhen Xi Ling takes out the sword that Lei threw during the fight and shows it in front of Huang, whose eyes open wide.  
  
Huang shakes his head and makes a loud, almost dramatic declaration.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG What an innocent life has been taken!  
  
Meanwhile, Prodigal Son and Xu Lian Zhang roll their eyes.  
  
Huang gives the sword over to Wu Mo Li.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG Mo Li, my student, did you recall me telling you about the path to power?  
  
WU MO LI Yes, that the path to power is often dangerous, it is an obsession that consumes those upon it, removing their entire identity and sense of self, and turning them into pure hunger for the sensation of defeating and triumphing over the opponent. Nobility and honor become replaced with a stab to the neck and a slice in the gut.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
Indeed that you have well decided to elaborate on it.  
  
Huang hands the sword over to Zhen Xi Ling, who sheathes it.  
  
WU MO LI The Darklight Alliance will definitely make use of someone like that for their purpose.  
  
Zhen Xi Ling nods.  
  
ZHEN XI LING Then I will have to find a way to stop him.  
  
WU MO LI  
  
We are just heading back to our main camp. There your Master will be able to recover.  
  
Zhen Xi Ling nods and then picks herself up, carrying her master on her back.  
  
ZHEN XI LING(to Huo Ding Chu) Don't worry now, Master, you'll be fine, we've met a great man.  
  
Her Master can only nod faintly as she carries him along.  
  
At this point in time, Dai Hao Chen, back already laden with luggage, pops forward, his feet are extraordinarily nimble and quick for his size.  
  
EXT. TOWN DAY This is a busy-looking large town, filled with activity on every street.  
  
Here we see a man walking. This is a barrel-chested middle-aged man dressed in a long robe. He has a massively bearded face with strong features, clear eyes and a prominent nose.  
  
They are a boy and a girl. Both are barely into their teens right now. Both have not-quite Chinese features on their faces, in fact, they look almost Caucasian in places.  
  
This man is BAI BIAO, and on his back he carries one very huge sword. His two children follow him. He is talking and laughing with them.  
  
BAI BIAO So, why don't we go for some nice food? I think all this walking has made me hungry.  
  
His children nod. Their names are BAI GE NI and BAI JIE, respectively daughter and son.  
  
INT. TAVERN DAY The Bai family is happily enjoying breakfast, congee, with various other small dishes by the side.  
  
Through the window they are sitting next to we can see that the constables have already taken Shadowhunter down and are leading him to the courthouse or county jail.  
  
Bai Ge Ni is the first to speak to her father.  
  
BAI GE NI This breakfast is good, I hope you can take us here more often.  
  
BAI BIAO Well, it's not like I can take my children to work all the time.  
  
BAI JIE But I hope that you do it more often, dad.  
  
BAI BIAO Well, I'll have to see about that, for sure. Maybe if an opportunity comes and I afford it, I will.  
  
He takes a sip of tea and then gets up from the table.  
  
BAI BIAO(cont.) Come on, children, it's time to go and attend the ceremony of fire, as an heir to the Alliance this is something you have to witness given your age. (Beat) Come on, kids, there's not much more time to lose; we must reach the place by nightfall.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. BRIDGE DUSK We are at a stone bridge going over a large lake, and here Bai Biao walks along, his two children in tow.  
  
All three of them look remarkably composed.  
  
Just then from the other end of the bridge we see as a young man walks to Bai Biao. He is dressed in rather rich robes and looks rather fine and dandy. He holds a fan in his hand.  
  
This is AN KUI.  
  
AN KUI Warmest welcome to you, Uncle. Long live the Darklight Alliance! Come into my humble abode.  
  
Indeed, Bai Biao is one of the much feared Darklight Alliance.  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS DAY It turns out that An Kui lives in a huge and rather extravagant mansion, or rather mansions, since the compound contains numerous buildings, complete with large gardens and walkways filled with bird cages. There is even a lake.  
  
The twittering of the birds fills the air as Bai Biao enters, striding majestically.  
  
His children look on in pride at their father.  
  
When Bai Biao sees the bird cages there is an expression of rage on his face.  
  
He walks over to An Kui and then grabs him by the collar, after which he shoves him aside.  
  
An Kui falls into the small pond nearby.  
  
BAI BIAO As the leader of its base of operations in these few provinces you are a disgrace to the Darklight Alliance, how much of your father's funds have you embezzled for this place?  
  
AN KUI Yes.but so far as the old man doesn't mind.  
  
BAI BIAO What would your father say if he were in better health? Considering that according to you, we have nearly experts from all around China in our employ? (Beat) Your father founded the Darklight Alliance, and he is my true friend, if he wasn't ill at this moment he would have come and whipped you like the immature little boy you are!  
  
An Kui cowers as Bai Biao thunders.  
  
He turns to his children.  
  
BAI BIAO Children, do not grow up to be like this man here.  
  
An Kui can only echo timidly as he picks himself up from the pond.  
  
AN KUI That's right, children.  
  
Bai Biao turns to An Kui, seething.  
  
BAI BIAO Do not repeat everything I say. I will govern my own household just as your father should have governed his, starting with YOU! In the meantime, if you really wish to govern my household I can leave my children with you. I've got some personal matters to attend to later on.  
  
AN KUI What?.I mean.yes, Uncle. By the way, I have some excellent news to report.one of our agents has located the legendary shard of Shi Wu Shuang's Sword!  
  
BAI BIAO  
  
WHAT? That thing is a legend! Did he find.?  
  
AN KUI He failed, he's now in jail.  
  
Bai Biao spits in disgust.  
  
BAI BIAO Not as much as you deserve to be. If any of this is a lie you watch what I'll do to you.  
  
AN KUI Yes.yes, sir.  
  
A timid smile spreads across An Kui's face.  
  
EXT. FOREST DAY Across the forest the procession led by Pathfinder, followed by the various mercenaries, Xu Wan Gang and Yue Ying speeds on.  
  
Perched on a tree, and unseen to them, is none other than Lei Shun Jing himself. Right now he is watching with immense interest.  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS DAY Bai Biao wears a calm expression for now.  
  
BAI BIAO  
  
If I am not mistaken there will be men coming from the East soon, right?  
  
AN KUI Yes, Uncle. I believe you will be pleased to see the success of this massacre.  
  
BAI BIAO Good.  
  
EXT. FOREST DAY The procession of Pathfinder heads on.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Where are we headed now?  
  
YUE YING My Master is out to track down his latest target.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
What might that be?  
  
YUE YING He will track down An Kui, son of An Hao Hai, and hold him up for ransom.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Who is that? I am really confused.  
  
YUE YING  
  
Didn't Xu Lian Zhang teach you anything about all this, Wan Gang?  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
He taught me nothing much, Ying, but he just taught me to stay true to my word. He said that that was all that was important in this world.  
  
Yue Ying looks down, but we can almost see a smile move across her face.  
  
XU WAN GANG Well, who is this An Hao Hai?  
  
YUE YING There's a long story.  
  
FLASHBACK BEGINS EXT. MOUNTAIN DAY On a mountain-top pavilion, we see as two men and a woman cross their respective weapons.  
  
One of the men is a very young Bai Biao. The other man is AN HAO HAI himself. The woman has long, almost reddish hair, rare for a Chinese, and carries a very large saber, unnatural for her frail-looking frame.  
  
These are the three members of the Darklight Alliance. And as they cross their swords they start to chant.  
  
YUE YING(v/o) Everyone talks about the Darklight Alliance these days, but nobody really knows the truth about them, not even many of the other members of the martial realm. (Beat) About ten years ago, An Hao Hai, the grandson of the Great Assassin An Se Qiu, founded a cult on a Mountain top in the Himalayas. This cult posed itself as the organization needed to resurrect the spirit of the greatest of all warriors, Shi Wushuang the Undefeated. (Beat) The three of them.  
  
CLOSE UP on their individual faces as she narrates.  
  
YUE YING(v/o) Bai Biao, known as the Snow Tiger and Wu Xuan Mei, Mistress of the Plum Blossoms joined him immediately as two of his top believers, lending the resources at their disposal to his cause.already known in their own right, they lent their resources to his cause.  
  
As they chant we slowly pull back to see the magnificent mountain range.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. FOOTPATH DAY Across this footpath in the countryside a large army of guys in black, like the ones we saw attacking the small group of swordsmen in the beginning, are massacring a large number of warrior Tao priests.  
  
YUE YING(v/o) Slowly but surely they built up an army that would consist of who they thought were the best and strongest warriors in the land, with the sole purpose of destroying any foe they believed too weak.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: INT. HALL DAY A lonely hall where we see An Hao Hai sitting, lonely and rather depressed. He is an old man, with long tresses and a beard.  
  
We slowly close in on his sad face.  
  
YUE YING(v/o) But as of now, An Hao Hai is the weak link among the Darklight Alliance. In late years he has become reclusive and eccentric.and now only Bai Biao and Wu Xuan Mei are having any control, it will not be long one of them starts an internal revolt.  
  
XU WAN GANG(v/o) Whatever happened to An Hao Hai?  
  
YUE YING(v/o) I do not know. But if An Hao Hai is weakened further it will speed up the crumbling of the Alliance. And the target is his son, who the old man has so little control of he is embezzling funds right under his father's nose. Then we'll see what happens when he comes after his little spoilt brat!  
  
On the close up to An Hao Hai's face we  
  
DISSOLVE TO:  
  
EXT. FOREST DAY Yue Ying and Xu Wan Gang are talking.  
  
YUE YING  
  
That is where we are going now, for our cause, and for me, the Darklight Alliance will pay for the day they orphaned me when Bai Biao killed my father.  
  
XU WAN GANG Oh, I'm sorry.  
  
At this moment we see that there is a shadow in the trees, it is none other than Lei Shun Jing himself.  
  
EXT. MOUNTAIN DAY This mountain rises high up into the sky. Birds fly across its peak. It is enshrouded in a thick wrap of clouds.  
  
As we move closer, the clouds slowly part, and under them we now see..  
  
On the side of the mountain, located among the greenery, a large fortress.  
  
This is the main headquarters of the Hidden Mountain Society.  
  
INT. HIDDEN MOUNTAIN SOCIETY HEADQUARTERS MAIN HALL The hall of the Hidden Mountain Society is tastefully decorated, with lanterns hanging around and intricate carvings.  
  
At one end of the hall a fire is burning, providing the room's source of light.  
  
The hall is deserted at this time of the day, but here we see that Zhen Xi Ling is practicing her swordplay.  
  
She is extremely graceful, her sword slashing left and right as she prances around with the light-footedness of a deer.  
  
She leaps here and there, attacking imaginary foes as she does so.  
  
We see that one of her hands is in a bandage, obviously from the attempt to grab Lei Shun Jing's projectile.  
  
She takes three stabs at the air.  
  
ZHEN XI LING Take that, and that, and that!  
  
Her imaginary foe falls, and then she whirls around, delivering a thrust into the heart of another imaginary foe.  
  
Just then some footsteps approach.  
  
It is another woman, smiling, her long dark tresses framing her ivory- complexioned face, it is none other than Wu Mo Li.  
  
WU MO LI I can see that you are determined, huh?  
  
Zhen Xi Ling stops her practice and turns to Wu Mo Li.  
  
ZHEN XI LING Yes, sister. I'm going to get back at the man who did this to my Master, by all means. How can people like Lei Shun Jing deserve to live?  
  
WU MO LI Indeed, he has done more evil than possibly imaginable for any person. I wish we could have people like you, a thousand people like you, to get rid of the likes of him.  
  
Zhen Xi Ling practices with her sword a little more, she is more fierce and determined. Leaping around, jabbing and slicing, her other hand is holding the scabbard.  
  
WU MO LI Come, let's have a go together, shall we?  
  
Zhen Xi Ling stammers slightly as the slightly larger woman comes near her.  
  
ZHEN XI LING  
  
Well I may disappoint you.  
  
WU MO LI Come on, I'm here to teach, don't be scared.  
  
The two start to fight.  
  
And from the start we already see that while Zhen Xi Ling is light and swift, Wu Mo Li is far more forceful, her double-edged sword cutting back and forth, and wherever it goes the air seems to become electrified by its sheer force alone.  
  
After a few rounds of thrust and parry, more complex moves ensue.  
  
Wu Mo Li takes a swipe from downwards up, parried by Zhen Xi Ling, but Wu deflects her sword to the side straightaway and then takes a kick with her foot, Zhen Xi Ling is fast enough to dodge and then leaps a few feet away.  
  
She strikes a pose, and then comes on, making three rapid thrusts in succession, all of which Wu dodges with remarkable skill.  
  
Wu comes on again, faster and faster, Zhen seems to do a fine job of parrying her attacks, then Wu goes for the neck, narrowly missing and Zhen dodges and backflips, doing a leg split and then a kick, Wu is thrown aback, but lands on her feet.  
  
Then squatting and pivoting herself on one foot she stretches out the other, which moves in a furious semicircle, the sweep misses Zhen, who responds with a gravity-defying leap, but then she actually jumps up with her leg still outstretched, and using her pivoting leg, leaps up the same, and changing legs in mid-air, delivers two kicks to Zhen, who blocks them with her sword.  
  
All before Wu slashes her sword right across, which is met by Zhen's, the clash rings out timorously in mid-air.  
  
Then as the two descend they exchange a few more blows.  
  
But all of a sudden one man and comes up and brings his weapon down on both of theirs, and his force is so strong that the two young women are completely unable to move their weapons at all, as he has pinned both of their blades to the ground.  
  
The two young women turn their heads.  
  
There, holding the weapon, a crooked staff, with one hand, is none other than Prodigal Son.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Just testing your respective abilities, ladies. No hard feelings.  
  
He leaves the scene, and there finds Huang Yan Sheng looking at him crossly.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
Are you here to prove yourself a nuisance? You are the Prodigal Son after all.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Not really, considering that your student has had quite her share of abilities, I was just giving them a test.  
  
At this moment, Wu Mo Li stares angrily at Prodigal Son.  
  
Zhen Xi Ling is already on the verge of crying.  
  
WU MO LI Listen here, I don't know why you're doing this, but this girl has just had someone close to her very badly hurt.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG (to Zhen Xi Ling) He's healing now, my dear, don't worry about it.  
  
ZHEN XI LING That's not enough! (Beat) If I can't even be strong enough to defeat some piece of trash like Prodigal Son, that means.I'll be helpless.helpless.against Lei.  
  
Wu Mo Li tries to comfort her friend.  
  
WU MO LI There, there, you are getting stronger now.  
  
At this time, a flush of anger comes over Prodigal Son.  
  
PRODIGAL SON You are going to get defeated many times in this life, young girl, and don't you forget it!  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG What time it is to say things like this?  
  
Prodigal Son just snarls at Huang.  
  
PRODIGAL SON It is the time to say things like this! I will tell you, I do not know if you have ever been defeated before, I mean really defeated, but there is a good probability that you might not!  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG Nonsense! Did you think I would have become the respected figure I am if I have not come through the rough path? I have had my fair share of defeats just as you have yours, but I can just pick myself up from any of them, unlike you!  
  
Just then we hear some laughs, they are coming from one corner of the room.  
  
The figure of Xu Lian Zhang emerges, his stride is broad, and his laugh is deep. The figure he cuts here is surprisingly powerful and attention drawing. He leans against a pillar and laughs heartily, his contempt for Huang showing.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG Defeat? Oh what can a man like you know about defeat in the first place?  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
Listen, I have no business with you.  
  
At this moment we see as another figure enters from the entrance to the hall.  
  
Everyone stops the quarrel.  
  
This new figure is GUO TING YAN, the leader of the Hidden Mountain Society and senior to Huang Yan Sheng.  
  
He is a much older man than Huang, and much wiser-looking.  
  
Here he looks at Huang, who along with Wu Mo Li and Zhen Xi Ling, all bow to Guo.  
  
HUANG, ZHEN, WU (simultaneous) Our respects to you, elder.  
  
GUO TING YAN Indeed, I find what was going on just now a poor example of conduct in this place.  
  
Sitting on his chair, he strokes his beard.  
  
He then addresses the two renegade martial artists, Xu Lian Zhang and Prodigal Son.  
  
GUO TING YAN Listen here, I have heard everything and I believe that what my servant has pointed out is correct. After all we believe in charity, and for those seeking refuge our society has often provided, excluding of course, the evil ones. (Beat, to Xu and Prodigal Son) As long as anyone is within our fortress we will do as our code tells us to, that we shall not harm the ignorant or the innocent. But the ignorant do need to be taken care of, and the two of you have proven yourselves to be highly ignorant.  
  
Guo points to the two men.  
  
GUO TING YAN You will be driven from this compound! (to Huang) Send them to the house on the hillside, where they can make no nuisance of themselves!  
  
Huang Yan Sheng nods.  
  
EXT. FOREST DAY The forest here is dense and green, and a procession is escorting the two warriors to their hut, led by none other than Huang Yan Sheng himself.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
This is where the two of you will stay until Huo Ding Chu is well enough.  
  
The two men are shoved unceremoniously inside the compound. This is a small house, no bigger than the size of an average bedroom, and the quarters for the guards is located nearby.  
  
The guards are all members of the Hidden Mountain Society, and looking highly skilled.  
  
INT. HOUSE DAY The two men look at each other as they are both locked in.  
  
Prodigal Son looks at Xu Lian Zhang sadly.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Help me pray for those children.  
  
Xu Lian Zhang shakes his head.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
They do not know what they are getting themselves into, do they?  
  
Prodigal Son shakes his head.  
  
PRODIGAL SON They have not seen the true face of the world yet.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. FOREST DAY We are seeing this from someone's POV, namely Lei Shun Jing's.  
  
Slowly we pull back to reveal him, sitting on his perch, looking down silently.  
  
There is an inscrutable expression on his face as he watches.  
  
On the ground, the entourage is heading along fine. Just then, Xu Wan Gang panics.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
I can hear them.  
  
YUE YING What are they?  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Men on horseback, I think around a hundred of them.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Are you kidding?  
  
XU WAN GANG No I am not! They are coming right now, hide!  
  
YUE YING This doesn't sound like a practical joke, let's do it!  
  
The entire entourage leaps up into the trees, and stay there.  
  
Soon we hear the sound of hooves, and slowly we see the men on horseback arrive.  
  
This is a formidable-looking lot, and judging by the banner that one of them is carrying, which says: HE WHO RESISTS, PERISHES! These are indeed, the troops of the Darklight Alliance.  
  
The leaders are dressed in grayish uniforms, like those of Shadowhunter. And the rest likewise, some of them are not even Chinese, but have Arabic and European origin.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
The Darklight Alliance's elite! Glad you found them coming!  
  
YUE YING They are heading in the same direction as us, Feng Xian, must be to An Kui's Mansions.  
  
FENG XIAN The motto of my men and I is: one shot, one kill. We can get rid of these guys now.  
  
Just then a voice joins in, Lei Shun Jing has leapt to them from another tree.  
  
LEI SHUN JING Absolutely not!  
  
They turn around, none of them recognize this strange new companion of theirs.  
  
LEI SHUN JING I can help you defeat them, but not now.  
  
FENG XIAN What's your asking price, old man? I'm a mercenary, I take it only for the money.  
  
LEI SHUN JING I ask for nothing right now, but I know what you want.  
  
Pathfinder looks at Lei Shun Jing curiously.  
  
LEI SHUN JING You want An Kui, An Hao Hai's son.  
  
The others look on, rather perplexed at this guy. Lei Shun Jing stares at all of them and smiles.  
  
LEI SHUN JING You want the taste of his blood on your lips, you want to drive the point of steel through his heart and feel as the blade pushes itself between the ribs and severs it.  
  
Pathfinder is staring dumbfounded at Lei Shun Jing.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Not what we want, but it's close.  
  
LEI SHUN JING If you are interested in my asking price.  
  
He stares at Feng Xian, then at Xu Wan Gang and Yue Ying.  
  
LEI SHUN JING (cont.) I will not set the price now, the price will be set after I finish this job. (Beat) But right now, I can get you people on a detour, long, but necessary. This will enable you to get everything that you need to complete your raid.  
  
Lei looks down.  
  
By now the men of the Darklight Alliance have marched on without noticing them.  
  
Then the entourage, now with Lei added to them, leaps off the trees and onto the ground.  
  
LEI SHUN JING  
  
Come on, I will show you the place, I was just there five days ago.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
I will have to go and discuss this with my assistant, if you don't mind.  
  
Pathfinder and Feng Xian step aside, Xu Wan Gang is by now in a bit of a daze as he looks at Lei Shun Jing, almost as if the two of them share a telepathic connection.  
  
Yue Ying shakes him on the shoulder.  
  
YUE YING Come on, this is important.  
  
XU WAN GANG This man looks familiar, it's as though I have met him somewhere before.  
  
Yue Ying drags Xu Wan Gang to meet Pathfinder.  
  
In their corner, the four of them have their discussion.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
He's crazy. Should we follow him?  
  
FENG XIAN I say we forget about this clown, we are so close to carrying the battle to the heart of the enemy already.  
  
YUE YING I don't think so! Did you see the size of those troops? We are going to need all the help we can get to defeat the Darklight Alliance! Did you think about how this guy managed to follow us all the way through here without us noticing?  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Indeed, he is formidable.  
  
Xu Wan Gang, though, is looking down, there is a look of dread in his eyes.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
We must follow him for another reason, sir. We must pay attention to something else.I.I.  
  
Just then Xu Wan Gang falls to the ground on his knees.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Fear.I'm afraid.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Oh no what's happening now.  
  
At this point Xu Wan Gang starts to scream. And it is a long and loud scream.  
  
Nearby though, we see that Lei Shun Jing does not seem to care about this, he stands there impatiently.  
  
When Xu Wan Gang finishes, he seems to be back to normal, but we see that he is flustered.  
  
XU WAN GANG FOLLOW HIM! That is what we have to do!  
  
Lei Shun Jing has his back turned towards the others as they group for their discussion, but we see that as Xu Wan Gang screams, a smile spreads across his face.  
  
He turns around.  
  
LEI SHUN JING So one of you has made up his mind to follow me, that is good. Very good.  
  
He seems oblivious to something otherwise obvious to Pathfinder and gang.  
  
We see as Pathfinder shakes his head when he sees Xu Wan Gang, the shard around his neck is actually alight, almost on fire with a strange ethereal glow.  
  
PATHFINDER Must be the shard, who knows what kind of devil resides in it. It's causing him pain.  
  
YUE YING I don't care if a Devil is telling us something, at least we have something to trust!  
  
Pathfinder looks up in surprise at the remark his student has made.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
You would trust a Devil?  
  
YUE YING Why not if he can lead us to the truth?  
  
Feng Xian laughs.  
  
FENG XIAN Little girl, you are catching on.  
  
All of them turn to Lei Shun Jing.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
We would like you to guide our way, then.  
  
LEI SHUN JING Alright then, follow me!  
  
Lei Shun Jing darts off through the woods.  
  
The others follow suit as he does so.  
  
We notice that besides the really good ones like Pathfinder, Xu Wan Gang, Yue Ying and Feng Xian, the rest seem to be having quite a bit of difficulty catching up with this man.  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS COURTYARD DAY The crack troops has arrived and are getting inspected by Bai Biao, who is accompanied by his children and a few other of the Darklight Alliance captains.  
  
BAI BIAO You have all done well, and now I believe it is time that you present your tokens to enter the Ceremony of Fire! (Beat) And you know what I mean.  
  
The various troopers present large round things wrapped in cloths.  
  
Then they are unwrapped and as we can guess, the things are human heads. Not just any human heads, but each one the head of a priest.  
  
BAI BIAO Now repeat after me, the motto of our Great Alliance: HE WHO RESISTS, PERISHES!  
  
The men cry out in unison.  
  
MEN HE WHO RESISTS, PERISHES! HE WHO RESISTS, PERISHES! HE WHO RESISTS, PERISHES!  
  
The human heads are dumped in a pit in the garden.  
  
Crude oil is dumped on it by a few minions.  
  
Then they are set on fire.  
  
EXT. LANDSCAPE DAY The smoke rises high into the sky, a column streaming up into the sky  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS COURTYARD DUSK The celebrations are proceeding with great fervor, when all of a sudden some more people enter through the gate to the mansion, there are five of them.  
  
These are people dressed in black all over, and one of them wears a mask.  
  
Their leader is a man with slightly Arabic features, and his weapons are a cross between tonfas and sabers shaped like bat's wings. This is CHU HUAN XIAN.  
  
The rest have equally exotic looking weapons. One of them is a woman with hairpins shaped like amazingly lifelike butterflies and carrying six severed human heads. Another carries what looks like a giant crab or lobster. And the last one is dressed in body armor and carries a sword. The masked figure seems to carry only a small dagger.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN We are the TRAVELING PHANTOMS! We come to aid the almighty Darklight Alliance!  
  
The woman holds up the six human heads and smiles.  
  
WOMAN Too bad, we're not attending your Ceremony. These are my weapons!  
  
Bai Biao is stunned at the sudden entrance of these rogues.  
  
His children stand back in shock, but not a real kind of shock so much as the kind of shock a normal kid would get from seeing a magic trick.  
  
BAI BIAO Well, you're a little late.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN It's hard not to be a little late particularly when you have been gathering useful information the way we have!  
  
The rest of the killers part as this band of ten wades through them.  
  
The killers do not get down on their knees in front of Bai Biao, who is seething at their audacity.  
  
BAI BIAO What might that be?  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN If it wasn't for us, you could have well been caught unawares. (beat) They will come with the shard of the sword. We can get it to you, for a price.  
  
BAI BIAO Really, if you can get me that, I will.  
  
EXT. FOREST NIGHT Lei Shun Jing has already led the rest of the gang through winding paths and nooks and crannies and finally, they have come to what looks like a small and unmarked grave in a clearing.  
  
This place is beautiful at night, swarming all over with fireflies.  
  
LEI SHUN JING  
  
Ah, this is the place, this is the very place.  
  
He just squats down right in front of the grave and then whistles to himself.  
  
YUE YING Wait, why aren't you taking us to that place?  
  
LEI SHUN JING I need a rest, everyone needs a rest now and then. Look at the fireflies, aren't they gorgeous?  
  
Then all of a sudden, Lei Shun Jing chuckles and begins to whistle.  
  
There is silence for a while.  
  
The night air is calm and serene around them, and  
  
The tune is rather familiar to some members of the entourage.  
  
YUE YING That is such a familiar tune.  
  
All of a sudden tears seem to fall from her eyes.  
  
Xu Wan Gang turns to her.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
What's wrong?  
  
YUE YING That song, I remember I heard it as a kid, dad would play it to me, he said it was a tune from his father's generation.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
What is it about?  
  
YUE YING It's a ballad, I can't really remember.  
  
Feng Xian is getting impatient at this point.  
  
FENG XIAN Did we come here just to see somebody whistle?!  
  
There is a silence all around for a while.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Hush. I have heard it before. This song is about the folly of love.  
  
Lei Shun Jing, we notice, has whistling skills that border on the near- supernatural. He whistles in short, like the sound of birds coming home at dusk.  
  
Pathfinder looks as Lei Shun Jing whistles on.  
  
PATHFINDER There was a sheriff for his local lord. Once the local lord demanded that he wanted a bride from a well-known local family, but as the bride was lost in the mountains, he sent the sheriff after her promising him a bountiful reward. There the sheriff found seven powerful local outlaws holding her, and leading a group of men, they fought. Spilled a couple gallons of blood for the money, that's what money makes people do. (Beat) The seven outlaws, or Knights, they called themselves, hid in a cave, on which they found pictures they could not explain, and that one of them was that of a very beautiful woman.  
  
Yue Ying starts to cry.  
  
YUE YING  
  
.I remember now.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. CLIFF NIGHT On the edge of a cliff we see a young Yue Ying talking with her dad, who is playing the same tune on a flute. It is a night very much like this, with fireflies zipping all around.  
  
Yue Ying's dad is an elegant swordsman, handsome and carrying himself with the demeanor of a gentleman. His name is YUE TIAN JUN.  
  
Her dad is looking at her lovingly as he does so.  
  
YUE YING (v/o) My dad told me that my mother was as beautiful as that woman in the mural in the caves.because when the sheriff saw her he fell in love instantly...  
  
Yue Ying stretches out one of her hands, and we see that at this moment a firefly has balanced itself on her finger.  
  
The firefly flies off her finger and we DISSOLVE to:  
  
EXT. CLEARING NIGHT Through the dissolve the sound of Yue Tian Jun's flute continues through the transition, merging with Lei Shun Jing's whistling.  
  
As Lei Shun Jing sits there whistling, the rest watching on.  
  
Xu Wan Gang listens, entranced. Yue Ying continues her story.  
  
YUE YING  
  
And when he got home he ceased to think of his wife anymore, every waking thought of his was filled with the picture of the beautiful woman he saw on the mural. The idiot should have just completed the mission and blew part of it on a fine brothel in town if you ask me, and come back and not tell his wife about it. I mean the bounty fee he got could get him some high- priced whores. (beat) But he was a fool, just as well, the bride that was meant for the local lord, which during the fight he disfigured and remained unwanted for the rest of her life. (Beat) Angered, his wife left him and took his child to an island in the middle of the sea where subsequently his teacher was a mysterious and reclusive warrior. He ventured many times to find her, and each time he found her she refused him because in his thoughts, the beautiful woman he had so accidentally defaced and the woman in the mural was there and she could feel it. You know how that's the way that it can be with women sometimes, read the hearts of their partners and all that rubbish. Sixth sense whatever bullshit. He kept trying, kept asking for her forgiveness, but that proud woman would never give in when there was someone else in her husband's mind other than her.the fools.  
  
PATHFINDER What fools, weren't they? Love, just look at what it does to people.  
  
At this moment, though, we see that Pathfinder's eyes are turning watery.  
  
At this point in time Xu Wan Gang sighs.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
That is a sad story. (Beat) Yue Ying, I believe that your mother truly looked like that woman in the mural.  
  
YUE YING  
  
You think so?  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
I really do.  
  
Then at this moment Lei Shun Jing stops whistling.  
  
He stands up, and turns to the rest.  
  
LEI SHUN JING I have finished, now it's time to follow me.  
  
Lei Shun Jing then grabs his hands on the plaque in front of the grave and then lifts the plaque's cover off, it turns out that this grave is in fact a secret entrance!  
  
INT. CAVE NIGHT Lei leads first in entering the cave.  
  
So far it is very dark in this cave, we can hardly see anyone.  
  
At this moment Pathfinder is startled.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
That song was a cue! This is the legendary cave of that song! No one has been able to find it for nearly a century!  
  
Then Lei Shun Jing approaches a set of steps.  
  
Then he walks up.  
  
It gets increasingly bright as he ascends the steps, thanks to there being no shortage of fireflies around. Also of the fact that there are some natural gas lamps around, lamps which are fed by the gas from the salt mines that exist deep below the earth's surface.  
  
The flight of steps ends at a landing, where we can see is the cave featured at the beginning of this story, where Lei and Huo Ding Chu had their duel!  
  
The bridge is there, so is the underground stream.  
  
The gang has just walked in from one end of the bridge, but Lei is already very enthusiastically leading the way as he leaps off the bridge and wades through the knee-deep water below.  
  
LEI SHUN JING This is no ordinary cave, come on!  
  
The rest follow him and wade after him.  
  
For a while it is almost pure darkness. Then the scenery changes.  
  
There seems to be an otherworldly light spreading through this place, it's not just the various fireflies that are flying around, but also the fact there seems to be a growth of bioluminescent algae in the water.  
  
Then we see that elaborate drawings have been created on the walls using dyes made from the bioluminescent algae.  
  
Pathfinder is awed.  
  
PATHFINDER Look at all these, these are the fighting styles used by the Seven Knights mentioned in that song! Their names are written on top of their sections!  
  
He points to the elaborate drawings one after another, all of which are drawn in different poses. All are posing with different weapons. All of which have the name of the respective warrior who practices them inscribed on top.  
  
One we see uses a staff, another uses a sword, another a long spear, another a short hammer, another a long smoking pipe, another a shield, and the last one uses a naginata.  
  
YUE YING We have stumbled upon a goldmine here!  
  
One particular style, though, attracts Xu Wan Gang.  
  
It is the staff style.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Look, that's Prodigal Son's style!  
  
Then suddenly Xu gets the shock of his life as the shard around his neck starts throbbing with a pulsating glow.  
  
XU WAN GANG I see it now.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
What do you see?  
  
FENG XIAN Another of these visions of yours? Damn, I don't like the look of this.  
  
XU WAN GANG I see it, I can see it right now.  
  
Then we get our first glimpse of Xu's vision: Against a black backdrop we see a man brandishing a sword.  
  
His moves are swift, quick and go in large and small concentric circles, some too fast for the human eye to register and form wide silvery crescents in the air.  
  
Then after a few swift moves with his legs, which interweave with an almost effortless lightness.  
  
He takes off, and the sight is as beautiful and poetic, as though he has almost become a bird.  
  
The muted black background slowly lights up to reveal a painting of a swallow, which we see as he DISSOLVES INTO.  
  
In a flash of lighting Xu's vision disappears.  
  
Lei Shun Jing is sitting by and laughing as everyone looks on perplexed.  
  
Feng Xian shakes his head and starts to look closely at the various pictures on the wall.  
  
At this time Xu takes out the swallow from the package he has slung around his shoulder, and then puts in the turnkey.  
  
CLOSE UP on his hand as he turns it several times.  
  
Then the swallow starts to dart around.  
  
XU WAN GANG Watch closely.  
  
He takes out his sword and whips it around, this time his style seems to have greatly improved.  
  
In wide sweeping arcs, solid thrusts and parries and ripostes, Xu's sword swipes through the air.  
  
At this time even the stillness of the air in the cave seems to be stirred by this duel.  
  
Now we see that he is far more apt than he was in his first fight with the swallow.  
  
As the swallow flies up and comes down, beak aimed at this head we see as he parries it with his sword, and engages the swallow as he twirls his sword around in small concentric circles.  
  
Several times he almost seems to cleave the mechanical bird in half.  
  
But overall his blade seems to be chasing the swallow like a hawk, following tight on the tail of the mechanical bird in tight and swift arcs.  
  
And all the time as he does this his eyes appear to be closed.  
  
The bird is getting to be no slouch as well, going from a straight flight to an upward climb in a matter of seconds.  
  
The two of them match a few more rounds, exchanging numerous tight attacks.  
  
The bird in fact, moves just like a sword in the hands of a master, weaving itself so fast around its opponents that its trails become similar to the web of a spider, entrapping its opponent within them.  
  
A less skilled fighter would have lost to this bird.  
  
But Xu's attacks are tight and complex enough to form a web on their own as they in their own right, enmesh the target.  
  
Not only can this swallow fly like a sword in the hands of a master, it also has a life of its own, in one instance it jumps onto Xu's sword, perching itself there for a while before flying at Xu's face.  
  
This is a move that Xu blocks in time, the force of the block springing the bird back a few metres through the air.  
  
The bird whizzes forward again, with a speed that now Xu can only dodge by bending over 180 degrees, and then lifting his legs up so that his body is completely horizontal, his body skips on the surface of the knee-deep water like a stone.  
  
SLO-MO: Xu Wan Gang glides through the air.  
  
SLO-MO: The swallow swerves around and comes doubling back.  
  
As Xu Wan Gang finishes his glide, his feet land in the water, splashing droplets around, then he brings his body up into its horizontal position and then turns around, sword thrust forward  
  
CLOSE UP on the tip of his sword as Xu attempts to reactivate the secret mechanism. SLO-MO as The sword starts to part in the middle.  
  
As the swallow flies towards Xu again we speed back to normal, now Xu is attempting to clamp his sword around the swallow.  
  
Snap! Snap! Snap! Three times in succession Xu almost succeeds in trying to clamp his sword around the swallow, but three times it fails.  
  
The swallow flies near him, and Xu switches from a forehanded sword-holding position to a backhanded one in order to put up more of a close defence.  
  
He swipes around wildly at the swallow and then.  
  
A splash. He thrusts his sword into the knee-deep water below him.  
  
CLOSE UP on the water surface as a few droplets land, forming ripples.  
  
The once-calm underground pool is shaken by the very force of the sword.  
  
There is a moment of silence.  
  
Everyone else looks at Xu.  
  
Meanwhile Lei is acting as weirdly as usual, this time gazing deep into the water and the bioluminescent algae that is in it. His eyes wide open and a whistle on the edge of his tongue.  
  
But now we realize that the mechanical swallow has in fact escaped the thrust.  
  
And it is now making its attack.  
  
It brushes past Xu's sleeve, a move which he blocks with his sword just in the nick of time.  
  
Then turning swiftly backwards, he swings his sword in a magnificent semi- circle, that strikes the bird, or at least seems to.  
  
Under any other circumstances the bird would have fallen, or gotten cleaved in half.  
  
But it does not fall, and actually continues its flight for a while, gliding past the walls with the mysterious old drawings and back to the entrance of the underground cavern.  
  
The eyes of the crowd are trained on the mechanical bird now as it continues its graceful flight.  
  
We see as it flaps its wings.apparently struggling.  
  
Then it stops in mid-air, then falls straight into the water.  
  
Xu rushes forward to pick it up again from the water, the mechanical bird moves for a while, and then it stops. It has "died".  
  
Slowly, he puts the bird back into the cloth wrapping he wears around his arm, there is somewhat of a sadness in his eyes.  
  
The others look at him, as awed as they have every right to be.  
  
All except for Lei Shun Jing, who is laughing as he looks at Xu and clapping his hands. His laugh reverberates off the walls, with a childish glee that would have been infectious on a more fun occasion like a party or a festival, but that seems completely out of place here.  
  
Everybody else turns to the man as he engages in his admittedly near- psychotic, yet childlike behavior.  
  
YUE YING  
  
Stop it.  
  
Lei just keeps laughing and pointing his finger at  
  
LEI SHUN JING Oh yes, the boy's got great prospects ahead of him, oh yes he has!  
  
YUE YING Now stop it, old man! If you know what is going on, tell us about it!  
  
At this point Lei Shun Jing falls silent, very, very silent.  
  
He stares into space again and then scratches his head with a finger. He looks around the cave very silently.  
  
Pathfinder taps his hand on Yue Ying's shoulder.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
The shard has given its powers to Wan Gang, and it is enabling himself to pick up complex moves very fast! Can't you see here, my dear? This cave is a find, the swallow's moves are from there!  
  
Pathfinder points to one of the walls.  
  
On it we see the pictures of a man performing various sword moves, drawn in the bioluminescent algae dye, which couldn't have been more than a few decades old, but which looks like the doodling of an ancient and forgotten presence.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
This swallow could have only been made by one group of people.  
  
FENG XIAN The famous Chu family of Sichuan. They make intricate robots like these, training devices for martial arts masters.  
  
Pathfinder turns to the wall.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
There must be a reason why that mechanical swallow was engineered to emulate the moves of that style. Prodigal Son gave it to you?  
  
Xu Wan Gang only nods.  
  
Pathfinder pauses for a while, then he turns his eyes to the pictures on the wall again.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
This is the cave where the legendary Knights of the Mountain fought the troops of the local lord for three days and three nights. Judging by the fact that on that wall (he points to the wall with Prodigal Son's staff moves drawn all over it) are the moves of his style. (Beat) The swallow has just emulated the moves of Shang-Guan Wu Tian, master of the Migratory Swallow sword style. He was its only inheritor in its day. Then he died. My, I didn't know the Chu family were actually in possession of his secrets. I thought their knowledge was only limited to existing styles.  
  
YUE YING The Knights of the Mountain.I have heard of them since I was a kid.  
  
Lei Shun Jing lets out a laugh from the corner of the cave that he is in.  
  
LEI SHUN JING Enjoy your time here, gentlemen! There's a lot to look at!  
  
Xu Wan Gang is not as interested in studying the drawings on the wall as the rest of the gang are.  
  
Instead he walks towards the end of the cave, wading through the water. The light casts an eerie glow on his face.  
  
Then at the end of the cave the place opens up.  
  
It is here that we see a new room altogether, this place would have been a tea garden of sorts, with a stone table and two chairs in the middle, but right now it is empty and deserted.  
  
Nearby is a mural of a man and a woman locked in an eternal embrace, forever inseparable, their names are already too blurred to be figured out.  
  
But Xu mutters under his breath as he sees the woman.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Yue Ying's right.she must have been beautiful.  
  
But on the wall there are two lines of carvings, and these are very intriguing.  
  
Xu reads them aloud.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Though Heaven and Earth shall one day end. This grief and sorrow shall last forever. (Beat) Hey, this is a poem!  
  
Xu Wan Gang gestures at the others, who come forward to the place.  
  
Pathfinder glares at the poem and shakes his head.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
This is a new poem, that means someone has been here way before this.madman.  
  
Lei Shun Jing laughs in a corner.  
  
Feng Xian finishes the statement.  
  
FENG XIAN Indeed, I can't see this goon writing anything like this. He was here to study the walls.  
  
YUE YING If that person has been studying these walls long enough, there's no telling what a master he could have become by now. (Beat) We could make him an ally.  
  
Feng Xian whips out a dagger from around his waist.  
  
FENG XIAN Not yet. (Beat) We have to be careful.  
  
At this point in time we hear Lei laughing again. Immediately the rest take a few steps back.  
  
Feng Xian has his dagger outstretched.  
  
LEI SHUN JING  
  
Well, what's there to be careful about, hmm? I mean with all the resources of this cave at your disposal, there's no telling what you can do!  
  
Lei takes his turn to smile at Xu Wan Gang.  
  
LEI SHUN JING  
  
You know, kid, you are a prodigy, just like me.  
  
Xu Wan Gang just backs off from Lei. There is a fear in his eyes.  
  
XU WAN GANG I don't want to know. I don't want to know!  
  
Xu Wan Gang just runs off towards the rest of the gang, and meets up with them.  
  
The gang huddle together again, well out of the reach of Lei Shun Jing, who doesn't seem to care at all about anything.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Listen, we would have to volunteer now, there's more than enough of us here, some of us will stay to guard this cave, others will follow me to nab An Kui.  
  
Six of the mercenaries leave the crowd already.  
  
PATHFINDER(Cont.) Good, now let's sleep here tonight, someone keep watch over that strange old man.  
  
Another of the mercenaries agrees, and so does Xu Wan Gang.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
My boy, don't do this, you are valuable to me.  
  
XU WAN GANG No, I have to, I just.have to.  
  
Pathfinder sighs, and then he just leans up against the walls of the tunnel.  
  
He closes his eyes.  
  
Yue Ying takes a long hard look at Xu, then she also leans up against the wall and yawns.  
  
She closes her eyes, and Xu tries to get closer to her.  
  
But as he does so he realizes that she has popped one open, and therefore doesn't dare to move any closer.  
  
He notes that she is sleeping right beside none other than Pathfinder himself.  
  
FADE TO BLACK  
  
FADE IN: We are in the cave again, it is quiet as the grave.  
  
Right now there are only three people awake in the entire cave. One of them is Xu Wan Gang, the other is Lei Shun Jing, and also one of the mercenaries.  
  
The merc is looking on puzzled as Xu Wan Gang squats looks at Lei Shun Jing.  
  
Lei has been doing hardly anything so far as much as squatting around and looking around the cave with the endless restlessness of a child.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Have you been sleeping?  
  
Lei just shakes his head.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Because since you came on, neither have I. Tell me, what happened to you, something terrible, right?  
  
Lei lets out another laugh.  
  
LEI SHUN JING No, nothing so much as that, young man.  
  
Xu Wan Gang sighs and then looks to the others.  
  
He sees that the rest of the gang are fast asleep.  
  
The merc is clearly getting bored by all this.  
  
At this moment Lei leaps up, pounces on the merc like a hungry beast and then floors him into the water, where he stays while Lei strangles him.  
  
LEI SHUN JING Go on, go on my boy, do it!  
  
Xu Wan Gang pulls out his sword and then quietly, rushes forward to kill the sleeping Pathfinder.  
  
He did not count on one thing.  
  
Now we see as Yue Ying pops one eye open, and then the other, and then quick as lightning, whips out her two daggers and parries Xu.  
  
The force of the parry forces Xu back a few paces.  
  
YUE YING(Whispering) Did you think I wasn't counting on that, hmm?  
  
XU WAN GANG (Whispering) Listen, this Pathfinder isn't a good man, he doesn't care about you, he'd let you die if you couldn't win me.  
  
YUE YING (Whispering) If I can't win you I won't be able to avenge my father by any means! Remember, my father's killer is a member of the Darklight Alliance. Even with your shard my father was probably ten times better than you, and he died.  
  
XU WAN GANG (Whispering) But he doesn't care about you still. (Beat) I do.  
  
YUE YING(Whispering) It does not matter, I'll keep this a secret.  
  
XU WAN GANG(Whispering) Well I'll tell you my secret! I think that we are being made used of, the shard was given to me by Prodigal Son as a lucky charm, the only luck it's brought me are these strange visions. Those grown-ups aren't telling us everything!  
  
YUE YING (Whispering) Yeah, they haven't told me why you're improving so fast while I'm not! I've got my eye on you!  
  
Yue Ying sheathes her daggers and then walks back to her original position.  
  
She sits down, her head leaning forward, and she drops off and sleeps.  
  
As she does so she pops one eye open.  
  
Xu Wan Gang sees this, and then he turns back shaking his head.  
  
EXT. COUNTRYSIDE DAY Across the countryside we see as the Darklight Alliance's troops move on their horses.  
  
Around the horse's necks, we see, hang skulls.  
  
At the front of the row is a Captain, flanked by two men carrying banners on poles. We CLOSE UP on the words: HE WHO RESISTS, PERISHES!  
  
At the top of the banners are two more skulls.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: A mountain path on which a similar group is riding.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: Another similar parade riding against the horizon in the light of the rising sun.  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS COURTYARD DAY This is a very peaceful scene. In one corner of the courtyard sits An Kui, who is smoking an Arabian hookah while seated on a mat on the porch overlooking his garden.  
  
He is looking pretty pleased as he smokes.  
  
AN KUI Ah well, at least I don't have to do any dirty work for now, not bad, not bad at all.  
  
Meanwhile, Bai Biao's children are playing on the swing, supervised by an African slave.  
  
Bai Jie is pushing Bai Ge Ni.  
  
BAI GE NI Higher! Higher! I want to see the lake!  
  
Bai Jie gives it a heave.  
  
The swing goes up high, almost 90 degrees into the air, and Bai Ge Ni squeals in delight.  
  
The sunlight glints off the slightly golden-brown hair of the two pre- adolescents.  
  
An Kui looks at the two of them and laughs.  
  
We see as the servant wipes some sweat off his brow.  
  
AN KUI What adorable darlings, sad the same cannot be said for their father.  
  
He takes another puff on the hookah.  
  
Then he blows out concentrated rings of smoke.  
  
On his face there is the look of peace. This guy is his era's answer to a stoner.  
  
He looks again and sees that Bai Ge Ni has gotten off the swing, and Bai Jie gets on.  
  
BAI GE NI Now I'll push you so high you won't know what happened.  
  
She starts pushing.  
  
BAI JIE  
  
Not high enough, sis!  
  
BAI GE NI What do you want, then?  
  
BAI JIE I don't know, I think it would be good if we could just get out of here for a while, we hate this place!  
  
An Kui gets a bright idea. At this moment he calls out to the two kids.  
  
AN KUI Now now children, I hear that you wish to go out and see some sights, right? Well, in that case I would suggest you go and play some hide-and- seek.  
  
At this moment An Kui calls out to one of the servants who is tending to some plants nearby, this is LONGEVITY.  
  
AN KUI Longevity, now take these two kids out for some hide and seek! Make sure they come back before dinner!  
  
LONGEVITY Yes, sir.  
  
The servant nods and goes over to the two children, where they start talking and laughing immediately.  
  
An Kui laughs.  
  
AN KUI Aren't those two darlings adorable, it just makes them more adorable when they're away.  
  
An Kui just looks on, and blows out another series of concentric circles.  
  
As we CLOSE UP on the smoke, we DISSOLVE TO:  
  
EXT. MOUNTAINS DAY An overcast sky is spread like a pall over the face of the Green and Blue earth.  
  
The clouds gather in this mountainous region, rolling upon each other like great beasts of dark smoke.  
  
We are here on a mountain path leading to the gate of a large checkpoint gate, built precariously into the side of a mountain through ahead-of-its- time technological knowhow.  
  
Bai Biao heads up the mountain on his lone mount.  
  
Slowly, we look further up the mountain, and realize that at the top of the mountain a palatial pagoda.  
  
Here a raging fire roars up into the air for a length of around a hundred feet.  
  
This is AN HAO HAI'S FORTRESS.  
  
INT. AN HAO HAI'S CHAMBER Bai Biao walks into this small and circular room at the foot of the pagoda, and smack in the middle of this room is none other than An Hao Hai himself.  
  
Right now he is in a lotus position, but his eyes we see, are dark and sorrowful.  
  
Bai Biao sighs as he approaches his friend/fellow founder of the Darklight Alliance.  
  
BAI BIAO My respects to you, old friend.  
  
An Hao Hai does not speak.  
  
BAI BIAO I am sure you know about your Prodigal Son.  
  
An Hao Hai remains there, speechless.  
  
BAI BIAO Your son, I have seen him, he's blowing all your resources on his personal expenditure. He's leading a decadent and shallow life. (beat) Why are you not doing anything about him?  
  
An Hao Hai does not speak still.  
  
Bai Biao looks on, curiously, almost leaning too close for comfort.  
  
But at this moment An Hao Hai looks up mournfully and stares at Bai Biao.  
  
AN HAO HAI Did you know what it is like to not have a father? Maybe it's what makes me such a bad one. But I think he may be trusted to do what's right.  
  
Then he laughs bitterly.  
  
Bai Biao also shares the laugh.  
  
BAI BIAO What makes you think so?  
  
AN HAO HAI I don't know. But you have to trust your children sometimes.  
  
An Hao Hai also starts crying.  
  
Bai Biao sighs and looks up into the sky.  
  
BAI BIAO My wife, she was a Byzantine General's daughter, a Christian. She believed in an all-wise, all-powerful Heavenly Father that created all, and mankind was especially created in His image. (Beat) You know, I never picked up that religion of hers. But if there really is an all-wise, all-powerful Heavenly Father, I do not think He will trust his children. He is the one who knows how disappointing His own children can be. He knew well enough to drive his first two from Paradise. (Beat) And look at all the rest. His children lie and cheat and break their promises to him every single day. Do you think He does anything about it? If the duty of the Father is to teach the son what's right, as Confucius said, He can't be a good father, can He? (Beat) If anything, I hope my children don't disappoint me as much as yours do.  
  
An Hao Hai just sighs.  
  
AN HAO HAI What do you expect me to know of your wife's faith? (beat) In my faith of Zoroastrianism, we are not the children of Ahura Mazda but his co-workers, put on earth to fulfill his plan. When we do not go according to his plan, it is then that corruption exists. (points to flame) Just like the only way to fight the darkness is to spread the light.  
  
The two men, tears flowing out of their eyes, hug each other, then Bai Biao helps An Hao Hai up.  
  
The two of them walk over to the entrance to the Pagoda.  
  
EXT. SQUARE DAY There they look out at the square that lies outside the pagoda.  
  
It is there that the cauldron of fire burns, sending its flame up into the air.  
  
AN HAO HAI See that? (Beat) I conceived this symbol when I also learnt of something Ahura Mazda did not tell us, but that Taoists did. That light and dark, rather than opposites, are two sides of the same coin. I do not know why Ahura Mazda did not tell us about it, maybe He wanted us to find out for ourselves. If I could reconcile these two, I realized, the full picture of Truth shall be revealed.  
  
BAI BIAO And for the knowledge of this truth, the rest of the martial realm despises us.  
  
AN HAO HAI The flame is the light of the warrior's soul, and the three legs of the cauldron are the three of us, You, Xuanmei and I that support it. But it is the surrounding darkness that is the greatest friend and foe of the flame, for only by knowing darkness can the flame of the human soul burn brighter! (Beat) We are to uphold this cause, and therefore as long as the three legs hold the cauldron up, the fire shall not be extinguished!  
  
Bai Biao looks at the towering flame with pride.  
  
BAI BIAO What glory is the flame of the Darklight Alliance, that illuminates and yet complements the darkness around it! (Sighs) But still it falls short of the glory of the Undefeated Sword. When we obtain the shard and harness its power, how lowly this flame would seem in comparison.  
  
AN HAO HAI You mean it's not just a legend?  
  
BAI BIAO If reports to me can be trusted, it is not. I hope to find it. This will be a turning point in our history.  
  
AN HAO HAI Do you think your wife's Heavenly Father would approve of what you are doing?  
  
BAI BIAO That question is just between Him and me now. (Beat) But if I attain the shard's power, may He tremble in fear before me. (to An Hao Hai) But right now, there is somewhere I must go.  
  
He raises his head to admire the full extent of the flame.  
  
With a single shot, we realize how small they are in comparison to the towering height of the Darklight Alliance's flame.  
  
EXT. MOUNTAINS DAY From the mountain on which the flame and fortress stand, we see as the flame rages on into the darkened sky above.  
  
It starts to rain, but the flame shows no sign of stopping.  
  
On this we FADE TO BLACK  
  
FADE TO LIGHT INT. HIDDEN MOUNTAIN SOCIETY HEADQUARTERS DAY Guo Ting Yan and Huang Yan Sheng are meeting now a greatly recovered Huo Ding Chu and Zhen Xi Ling.  
  
They are surrounded by other members of the Hidden Mountain Society, who stand in two neat rows on both sides of the room. Among them is Wu Mo Li.  
  
Guo strokes his beard as he listens to the story told by Huo and Zhen.  
  
GUO TING YAN So you say that in exchange for our help at destroying this old monster, you would show us a secret that has not yet been exposed to the martial world as we know it?  
  
HUO DING CHU  
  
Indeed, sir.  
  
Guo turns to Huang.  
  
GUO TING YAN What do you think, Huang?  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
Sounds reasonable.  
  
Guo Ting Yan thinks for a while.  
  
GUO TING YAN This society has always been pacifist, we only react to injustice, but we do not seek out injustice that we are unclear about.  
  
Huo Ding Chu is enraged, though.  
  
HUO DING CHU Sir, I don't think you can turn a blind eye to the threat of the Darklight Alliance. It is everywhere.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
Indeed.  
  
HUO DING CHU We must prevent this long-kept secret from falling into their hands! And the old monster Lei Shun Jing is the one most likely to give it to them!  
  
ZHEN XI LING Yes! He has no sense of good or evil, he is most likely to be used by their like!  
  
Guo lets out a long sigh.  
  
GUO TING YAN Currently, there are none that can match the skill of the Mountain Knights. If the Mountain Knights' secrets fell into the hands of the evil ones, then the triumph of evil will be certain.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
That is indeed true.  
  
Wu Mo Li steps forward at this point.  
  
WU MO LI I agree, we will help them to defeat Lei Shun Jing! Is anyone with me?  
  
The other members of the Hidden Mountain Society in this room give a simultaneous cheer!  
  
Then we slowly move up to:  
  
EXT. HIDDEN MOUNTAIN SOCIETY HEADQUARTERS ROOFTOP On the rooftop of the citadel we see none other than Dai Hao Chen, his eyes sharp and peeled, his feet nimble and quick.  
  
He is leaping across the roofs of the headquarters with amazing speed and agility.  
  
With a shot from below, we see as he leaps over the head of an unsuspecting guard.  
  
He continues scuttling across the rooftops almost like a bug.  
  
He sees a lookout tower in the distance and backs down so that he is in a prone position on the roof.  
  
The lookout guard sees nothing.  
  
Then from his prone position, we follow Dai as he leaps up into the air a distance of thirty feet just in time to grab one of the legs of the lookout tower.  
  
There he climbs with almost preternatural agility and finally reaches the base of the tower.  
  
Reaching for his sword, he pierces it through the floor of the lookout tower.  
  
INT. HIDDEN MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT TOWER DAY The guard on lookout is taken aback as the sharp blade pushes itself through the floorboard.  
  
From beneath Dai leaps up and then kicks the Guard in the face, followed by a rapid acupuncture point attack that catches him out cold.  
  
The guard falls to the floor.  
  
Then Dai climbs out of the lookout, quickly onto the rooftop.  
  
He sees that nearby is already the perimeter wall of the headquarters, then leaping forward altogether he lands on top of the wall and then runs down.  
  
EXT. HIDDEN MOUNTAIN SOCIETY HEADQUARTERS WALL DAY From afar we see Dai as a small dot run down the outside wall before landing on the ground.  
  
Then he runs off into the woods nearby. INT. MOUNTAINSIDE HUT DAY Xu Lian Zhang and Prodigal Son sit around the hut, with not much to do.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
You know, if I had my way, I'd fight all of them outside and get ourselves away from here!  
  
PRODIGAL SON Don't worry too much.  
  
Xu Lian Zhang points an accusing finger at Prodigal Son.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
It's you who have nothing to worry about, mister! You sent the boy to me for training, and now you let him off on his own! You have never for once taken any personal responsibility for him in your life!  
  
Prodigal Son sighs as he starts drawing something on the floor with his staff.  
  
PRODIGAL SON True, true.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
You know what the Darklight Alliance will do to him?  
  
Prodigal Son doesn't say a word.  
  
A pregnant silence fills the room.  
  
Then it all washes over Xu like a great flood.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
This was never about the Darklight Alliance, was it? You can't care less whether the Darklight Alliance overruns the world or not, right?  
  
Prodigal Son breaks the silence with a tap of his staff on the floor.  
  
PRODIGAL SON NO!  
  
The answer shocks Xu Lian Zhang.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG You're terrible, you know that, you have nothing to live for, you have nothing to be true to. (Beat) No wonder they call you Prodigal Son! If one thing I am sure very glad that I taught Xu Wan Gang the things I did!  
  
PRODIGAL SON Thank yourself then, thank yourself that you taught him the things that you did! I'm too tired to teach anyone anything anymore.  
  
Xu Lian Zhang is the one who is silenced now.  
  
The two of them stare into blank space for a while.  
  
Xu Lian Zhang shakes his fists in frustration. XU LIAN ZHANG The Darklight Alliance and Pathfinder, who knows what could happen to my boy with the two of them out there?  
  
PRODIGAL SON I never knew you had such feelings for the boy, I thought you swore off a family a long time ago.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
Oh yes I did, my wife left me because I just made so many enemies.  
  
He throws back his head and laughs.  
  
Just then Xu Lian Zhang hears a particularly distinct bird call.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
Two long calls followed by a short.  
  
PRODIGAL SON What's that?  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
It's a message. It means "I'm here". Only one person uses it.  
  
At this moment we hear a series of continuous calls.  
  
EXT. FOREST DAY The guards patrolling outside the cottage listen to the calls, which continues through the cut.  
  
They start to look around.  
  
They exchange glances.  
  
Some of the more alert start to draw their weapons.  
  
INT. MOUNTAINSIDE HUT DAY Xu Lian Zhang has a smile spread across his face.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
This is the cry for battle, there is trouble afoot, and we cannot afford to stay here any longer!  
  
At this moment Xu Lian Zhang heads towards the hut's door and waits behind it.  
  
EXT. MOUNTAINSIDE HUT DAY The guard at the door to the hut puts up his vigilance and goes into a combat-ready position.  
  
EXT. FOREST DAY The guards have readied their weapons and are looking around, finding no one, just then in a flash they realize.  
  
That one man has leapt down from the treetops, carrying a birdcall in his mouth.  
  
None other than Dai Hao Chen.  
  
The guards, all four of them, attack Dai at the same time.  
  
Dai launches himself through the air, delivering a kick to one of them in the chest, and then elbowing another.  
  
After which he leap-somersaults sideways, landing on the forest floor. Then he leaps up into the tree again and comes down with his weapon.  
  
This is something he fashioned from the trunk of a tree, a log, which he will use as a makeshift weapon, it is around five feet long and which he wields like a very large and very thick polearm.  
  
The guards all draw their weapons, two hold standard issue swords, one a glaive, and another a halberd.  
  
With a top-down shot, we see that the four of them have engaged Dai in a square formation.  
  
The combatants exchange glances.  
  
For a while we hear only the sounds of human breath.  
  
CLOSE UP on all five pairs of eyes as they glance at each other.  
  
A moment of silence, and then they let it rip.  
  
Two of the guards, the two with swords converge on Dai, who floors them with a few rapid butts of the log to the chin and to the stomach.  
  
They pick themselves up and attack again, aiming for Dai's neck and legs with their swords.  
  
Dai dodges one of the thrusts before tripping a guard over with his log.  
  
For a man of his size, Dai wields the log with remarkable agility. We see as he passes the log to the other shoulder, beaning the sword-carrying guards in their faces.  
  
The sword carrying guards retreat back into the background.  
  
The two other guards converge with the halberd and the glaive, both take swiping arcs at Dai but miss, Dai sets his log upright, then leaps onto it in a flash. The side of the log with the sword embedded in it is facing up.  
  
With a wide leg sweep he distances his opponents, and he is still staying perched on the log despite that he is using only one leg. He grabs the sword embedded in the log and then starts whirling it around.  
  
This is enough to keep the guards busy.  
  
One of them comes with the glaive but Dai simply kicks the blade aside using his leg.  
  
The one with the halberd attempts to chop the log in two, but exercising his "chi", Dai actually jumps up into the air, carrying the log with him and then lands on the ground again.  
  
DAI HAO CHEN Let's play a game shall we? Let's see who can come within three feet.  
  
The guards converge, but at balancing one leg on the log, Dai is able to fend off all of them using his free leg.  
  
EXT. MOUNTAINSIDE HUT DAY The guard outside the hut looks at the door to the hut and knows that something is wrong.  
  
He presses both his palms against the door.  
  
INT. MOUNTAINSIDE HUT DAY Xu Lian Zhang is pushed back from his position behind the door.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
Damn, he has figured it out. The guard outside has superior inner strength. (Beat) Well, I'll show him.  
  
Taking a few steps back, he launches himself forward like an arrow, his elbow straight out, he smashes through the door, much to the surprise of the guard outside, who collapses onto the ground as a result.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Why didn't you do that earlier if you could?  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
I don't leave without my friend, if you realize. (Beat) This is my fight, don't you dare approach it.  
  
The guards who are fighting Dai Hao Chen are taken aback by this sudden turn of events.  
  
Xu slowly walks towards them.  
  
Then he unsheathes his sword, and holds it by his side.  
  
He jumps right into the middle of this fight and starts engaging the guards.  
  
Up against two exponents, the guards are starting to lose out in this fight.  
  
After several failures to take out Dai while perched on his log, Dai shakes his head.  
  
DAI HAO CHEN This is no fun.  
  
Dai leaps off his log and returns to his normal position, carrying the log across his shoulders and using it like a giant staff and ramrod.  
  
Now whirling around with the log, he bumps and rams into the guards left and right. The log is as mobile on him as a normal tree branch would be to a layman.  
  
He transfers it from one shoulder to the other, uses it as a shield for attacks to his chest. As such the polearm-carrying guards have nothing on him.  
  
Xu is probably even more of an expert than Dai is. The two guards with swords come at him, he fends them off with unerring precision. His sword seems capable of snaking around from one place to another, of making parries when it seems impossible to. But the guards are coming on at him fast and furious.  
  
Then we see as he jumps onto a tree trunk nearby, and fights the two guards with both feet gripped on the tree trunk. As he does so he actually is running up the tree trunk vertically at the same time.  
  
The two guards are no slouches and they start running vertically up the tree as well.  
  
Halfway up the tree's trunk Xu flips outwards, still engaging the two guards in swordplay at the SAME TIME, the two guards leap off the tree trunk simultaneously.  
  
CLOSE UP: And the three blades clash in mid-air!  
  
At this point we do a FREEZE.  
  
The forest is quiet.  
  
For a moment the sounds of birds chirping is heard. Then the FREEZE ENDS.  
  
CLOSE UP on the face of Xu Lian Zhang as we start to see a glow in his eye, a red glow.  
  
Now SPEED UP as we see that in a few deft strokes, the three combatants land on the ground.  
  
Then we see that BOTH THE SWORDS of the two swordsmen have already been entrapped in Xu's customized sword.  
  
The two guards exchange puzzled glances.  
  
All three blades are pointing upward.  
  
Xu gives his wrist that series of needed little twists.  
  
We just see as the swords of both guards are instantly broken.  
  
The two guards back off, shivering timidly as they hold out their broken swords at Xu, who laughs at it all.  
  
Then he leaves.  
  
The two guards exchange a glance, they are considering attacking.  
  
But then they run away.  
  
Dai and the two other guards with the glaive and the halberd have exchanged quite a number of blows by now.  
  
The verdict is still unclear over the winner, but we can see that for now Dai is handling himself pretty well.  
  
At this time Xu approaches, whistling as he brandishes his customized sword around.  
  
The two remaining guards see this, then they exchange glances and flee too.  
  
Xu smiles and turns to Prodigal Son.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
Well, we've dispatched them, time to go before they send more after us.  
  
DAI HAO CHEN  
  
Where do you people wish to go?  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
Off this mountain will be the first thing!  
  
PRODIGAL SON Well at least I can agree on that.  
  
The three of them walk away from the hut, away into the woods, and then we FADE TO BLACK.  
  
EXT. CLEARING DAY We are at a clearing in the forest, and here we see that in the middle of this clearing the servant Longevity and both of Bai Biao's children are playing.  
  
The servant Longevity has closed his eyes and is counting.  
  
LONGEVITY Okay kids.  
  
BAI GE NI Promise not to peek!  
  
LONGEVITY I won't peek!  
  
BAI GE NI Good, and count to a hundred.  
  
LONGEVITY I am counting.one.  
  
The moment he starts counting we see as the kids both glide onto a branch nearby. Turns out Bai Biao's children are pretty skilled themselves.  
  
INT. HIDDEN MOUNTAIN SOCIETY HEADQUARTERS DAY The room is already prepared as Wu Mo Li is bidding her Master and her Chief goodbye.  
  
In the room are Huo Ding Chu and Zhen Xi Ling  
  
WU MO LI I am ready, Master. Here I shall depart to help a fellow hero in need.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
Good, before you go, recite the code of our society.  
  
WU MO LI We will welcome he who wishes, or he who needs help, unless he is of evil stock. We will keep nothing between teacher and student. We will be vigilant, for danger is always afoot. We will be true, for verity is the rarest of commodities. We will be honorable in deed, for otherwise is to betray our ancestors.  
  
GUO TING YAN She has recited it pretty well indeed.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
I am proud to have a student like her.  
  
At this moment a junior member for the Society bursts through the door.  
  
JUNIOR MEMBER Sir, this is bad news! Three guards have been found knocked out, one of them in the tower!  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
Outrageous, who could have. (to Huo Ding Chu) Is your companion around here?  
  
HUO DING CHU You mean the Fast Runner?  
  
STUDENT That's what I was trying to say, two of those guards were outside the Fast Runner's room.  
  
GUO TING YAN That means he must have gone to help his friends---those vile runagates!  
  
HUO DING CHU Well, they don't mean much harm anyway.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG Perhaps it's so, but they cannot have gone far too, if they do our society will lose its reputation!  
  
ZHEN XI LING That I agree upon, sir.  
  
HUANG YAN SHENG  
  
I suggest then that we send another patrol of men after them, shall we, Sir?  
  
GUO TING YAN Indeed, and make these some of our best, if the two men do not wish to return to their hut and face up to their subsequent punishment, they shall be dealt with.  
  
The junior member nods and then leaves the room.  
  
Guo turns back to the three of them who are standing before him.  
  
GUO TING YAN Now it's time to go, do not worry, for we can handle the matter of your "friends" ourselves.  
  
The three, Huo, Zhen and Wu, bow and take their leave.  
  
EXT. CLEARING DAY Longevity finally finishes counting.  
  
LONGEVITY Okay kids, here I come!  
  
He opens his eyes.  
  
The two children have disappeared.  
  
LONGEVITY Well, I'll be. Just hope they're back before dinner. Now where's the place they're most likely to hide.  
  
As he says this we see that the forest he is in has no end in sight.  
  
LONGEVITY(cont.) Damn!  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD DAY Along this mountain road we see Yue Ying, Xu Wan Gang and Pathfinder, along with Lei Shun Jing and thirteen of the mercenaries led by Feng Xian.  
  
As they move along we see that Yue Ying is constantly ahead of Xu Wan Gang as she walks, and that every now and then she is turning backwards.  
  
Pathfinder does not understand any of the meaning of this, and when Yue Ying turns her head back for the umpteenth time, so does he.  
  
Pathfinder just bursts into laughter as he sees his student.  
  
Yue Ying smiles weakly back at her Master.  
  
She moves up and close to Xu Wan Gang.  
  
YUE YING He doesn't know about it, but I do. If you expect me to keep quiet, you better tell me something.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
And that would be.  
  
YUE YING What do you see when the shard gives you visions? Tell me, why have you managed to improve so fast within minutes?  
  
XU WAN GANG I don't know.it's hard to describe.  
  
We get a GLIMPSE into Xu's visions: We see again that man that is Shang-Guan Wu Tian practicing the Migratory Swallow style in a bamboo grove.  
  
Xu continues voice-over.  
  
XU WAN GANG (v/o) It's like all of a sudden, I can feel what it was like to have been in the presence of the great heroes of the past.  
  
After Shang-Guan Wu Tian finished with his sword, he leaps up and grabs a bamboo branch.  
  
Then he starts waving the branch around, and the force is just as great as that of using his sword. He gives the branch a good flick.the leaves are sent flying into one of the bamboo trunks where they embed as though they were darts.  
  
In one corner of the grove we see none other than Xu Wan Gang himself.  
  
CLOSE UP on his eye, and in his eye we see that the ultra-rapid moves of Shang-Guan Wu Tian become clear and discernible.  
  
Xu closes his eyes, and then he opens them, there seems to be something newly awakened in him.  
  
He immediately draws the sword from his scabbard and raises it skyward, the sun glances off its deadly blade!  
  
XU WAN GANG (v/o) .But then there were other visions of horror that I sometimes encounter, visions I can't quite register the nature of.  
  
Then the visions change, and then we see a burning temple, flames torching the sky.  
  
Then there is a jarring montage:  
  
A CLOSE UP of an eye.  
  
Taoist warrior priests being slain by Imperial troops.  
  
A man crying for help.  
  
The screams of men and women altogether.  
  
The rain falling in torrents from the sky.  
  
The rainwater turning red as it hits the ground.  
  
A man on a horse, here a mere silhouette.  
  
Lightning flashes across the sky!  
  
Then the strange sequence ends.  
  
EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD DAY Xu Wan Gang finishes his story.  
  
Yue Ying listens, rapt.  
  
YUE YING Wow, that is what you saw?  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
That is what I saw, and after that my skills just improved tremendously.  
  
YUE YING Give me that shard!  
  
Yue Ying attempts to snatch at the shard that Xu Wan Gang is wearing around his neck.  
  
He tries to block her with his palm.  
  
But she is no slouch, and grabbing his wrist, she pushes his arm to the side and tears the shard from around his neck, breaking the string that holds it in the process.  
  
He tries to snatch it back from her, but she wouldn't let him, keeping it firmly grasped in her hand, and replying with all the playfulness of a young girl.  
  
YUE YING  
  
No, you're not going to get it, I'm going to wear this now, if you can improve so fast, I don't see why I can't!  
  
At this moment we hear the familiar laugh of Lei Shun Jing again.  
  
LEI SHUN JING That's right, wear it!  
  
Yue Ying, repulsed by the man, sticks her tongue out at him and then ties the shard around her neck.  
  
She closes her eyes.  
  
Then she opens them.  
  
YUE YING Nothing, I don't see anything yet, what's wrong?  
  
XU WAN GANG I don't know.but it's dangerous, you don't want to see what I've seen.  
  
YUE YING  
  
Well, I'm not going to give it up!  
  
XU WAN GANG Listen to me.  
  
YUE YING  
  
Please just let me wear this for now, and I will return it to you tomorrow, no harm done.  
  
XU WAN GANG Fine! Just don't come crying to me, I don't want to wear it that much now anyway!  
  
Xu Wan Gang just gives up.  
  
Pathfinder is checking his map.  
  
PATHFINDER If I am not mistaken, we would be able to reach An Kui's Mansions by nightfall.  
  
Nearby Lei Shun Jing smiles.  
  
LEI SHUN JING Good, I am hungering for some action already!  
  
Everyone is surprised by the man's sudden reaction.  
  
He just laughs it off.  
  
EXT. FOREST EVENING It is already dusk in the forest, and we see that the Longevity is angrily calling out the names of Bai Jie and Bai Ge Ni. He has taken out his sword from around his waist, and he is waving it around at the same time.  
  
LONGEVITY Listen.if you don't come out soon I'll chop you into bits! It's almost dinner time!  
  
INT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS ROOM NIGHT We see the Travelling Phantoms sit in their room, including their collected human heads which they have placed in a corner.  
  
A servant, an African slave, brings in some hot tea.  
  
AFRICAN SLAVE Compliments of the Master, I have brought you tea.  
  
Chu Huan Xian nods.  
  
The African slave takes his leave, and closes the door shut.  
  
Chu is now alone with the rest of his company, altogether five. The woman with the butterfly hairpins is JING MING YEN, the man with the mask is simply known as CAT, since that is what his mask resembles. The man carrying the giant lobster-crab thing is YE TIE XIN, and the man with the body armor is ZHUO GUANG MING.  
  
But when he is alone, Chu looks at the severed heads in anger.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN Who got all of you to think of this? This was my entire housekeeper's family.  
  
JING MING YEN We did it for the honor of the Chu family.  
  
Tears are starting to form in Chu Huan Xian's eyes.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN Prodigal Son thinks that this act will allow him to make peace at last with our family, hah! Who does he think we are, that we do not know that he is about to betray us with hooking up with that no-good Pathfinder!  
  
YE TIE XIN Therefore when Pathfinder comes with his entourage, we shall take care of him.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN Oh yeah, they'll see what we have prepared for them. Yeah, who has the shard on him, the boy?  
  
YE TIE XIN Indeed, sir, it is he.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN Do not let him out of our sight, the shard must be taken! To ensure that the already fallen do not die in vain, we must accomplish this mission! (Beat) And our targets are late, what do you think happened?  
  
YE TIE XIN Maybe they took a detour, perhaps?  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN Could be, may they be worth all our trouble.  
  
We see the heads of the dead, peaceful as can be.  
  
There are tears in Chu Huan Xian's eyes as he looks at them.  
  
EXT. FOREST NIGHT Longevity is now sulking as he walks along, tired out of his wits if he had any.  
  
LONGEVITY What am I going to tell Master now, the kids have disappeared! Think think think!  
  
He starts pounding his head as he does so.  
  
Meanwhile, we see that hidden behind a tree nearby are the two siblings, who see him though he doesn't see them.  
  
BAI JIE Should we tell him we're here?  
  
BAI GE NI Nah, let him figure out for himself.  
  
BAI JIE I think we cheated by constantly being on the run when we played hide-and- seek.  
  
Bai Ge Ni just lets out a giggle.  
  
BAI GE NI That's just what makes it fun!  
  
BAI JIE Come on, sis, it's time we appear to him and tell him already.  
  
BAI GE NI I.I.guess you're right.  
  
The siblings step out from behind the tree and call out to Longevity.  
  
BAI GE NI Hey, we're here!  
  
Longevity turns around, sees them, and breathes a sigh of relief.  
  
LONGEVITY There you are, thought I would never find you, come on, it's time to go home now!  
  
EXT. PINE FORESTS NIGHT These are the surrounding pine forests that lie around An Kui's Mansions.  
  
Out of the forests we see as Pathfinder and his entourage emerge.  
  
PATHFINDER Ah, there it is, I hope everyone is ready.  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS NIGHT It is at this moment that the Traveling Phantoms emerge, armed to the teeth, their silhouettes in the moonlight on another one of the compound's rooftops. This one located adjacent to the one that Pathfinder's lot were on.  
  
Chu barks out orders to his followers.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN It's nightfall, our targets are most likely to launch an attack soon, keep your eyes peeled.  
  
The entire gang readies their weapons. Chu's twin bat-wing, tonfa/sabers go into a defensive position.  
  
Ye Tie Xin shows us how the giant lobster/crab thing works, it is actually a hand-mounted shield with the solid steel pincers manually controlled.  
  
Jing Ming Yan with the lifelike butterflies in her hair doesn't appear very interested, but we do see in her hands that she is carrying six severed heads.  
  
Zhuo Guang Ming whips out the sword from around his waist.  
  
Then they spread out, leaping in many different directions, Chu himself leaps up into the air in a supernatural display of grace and looks set to land on the same rooftop on which Pathfinder and gang are, as though he knows.  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS ROOFTOPS NIGHT Pathfinder, Xu Wan Gang, Yue Ying and Feng Xian are prone down on their rooftop when they see the Traveling Phantoms.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
The Chu clan of Sichuan!  
  
Feng Xian nocks an arrow to his bow and fires.  
  
Chu has indeed suspected them already, and shreds the arrow with his bat- wing tonfa saber immediately.  
  
Then from mid-air, he delivers his first strike.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN The Mark of Ten!  
  
Since "ten" written in Chinese is a cross, this move is basically done by crossing the giant tonfa sabers and then delivering two blows almost at the same time, one horizontal, the other vertical, normally the force generated in the hands of a master is enough to scatter foes in a few different directions.  
  
And Chu being a master, it does.  
  
But his foes are no slouches as well, and we see that after he delivers this blow, Pathfinder's lot are indeed knocked into the air, but soon they manage to land square on their feet on the nearby rooftops.  
  
Chu lands on the rooftop that he drove his foes off, which is still intact.  
  
Then.BLAM! The tiles on top of the roof scatter in different directions, leaving behind the frame of the rooftop underneath.  
  
The other fighters struggle to defend themselves against a wave of tiles.  
  
Pathfinder using his long sleeves,  
  
Feng Xian using his cape,  
  
Xu Wan Gang and Yue Ying using a combination of their weapons and their feet to deflect the tiles.  
  
When the tile storm clears, the tension is up. And peril hangs in the air for these combatants.  
  
The fight on the rooftop between the Traveling Phantoms and Pathfinder's group begins.  
  
First a hail of arrows comes from the mercs, who have hid in the distance, upon the order of Feng Xian.  
  
MERCS  
  
One shot, one kill!  
  
And indeed, so many shots would have taken out Chu Huan Xian with ease, had not he had his weapon, shielding himself with the giant bat-wing-like saber- tonfas while whirling them around in great arcs, it seems that he is almost impenetrable.  
  
The arrows all fall by the wayside.  
  
Then with a laugh, we see as Jing Ming Yen leaps to her leader's aid, whirling the six human heads around, three in each hand, then with a leap into the air, she throws the human heads right down at the mercenary archers.  
  
There may be thirteen of them, but the attack is already enough to take out all of them.  
  
It turns out that these human heads have been loaded with explosives, and this is set more than half a decade before its first recorded use in history!  
  
With her forceful throw, the heads detonate upon contact with the men in messes of flesh and blood, the blow sends the mercs flying off the roof and landing on the ground with a splat.  
  
Jing Ming Yen lands on another rooftop, a satisfied smile on her face.  
  
These two Traveling Phantoms alone are probably enough for Pathfinder, Xu Wan Gang, Yue Ying and Feng Xian to handle.  
  
The four prepare to strike with their weapons. Lei Shun Jing is at the side, and he doesn't seem to care about anything.  
  
But more is to come.  
  
Then we see as on the same rooftop that Chu Huan Xian is on, Cat, Ye Tie Xin and Zhuo Guang Ming all land.  
  
Then with a gesture from Chu Huan Xian, the fighting really starts.  
  
Pathfinder takes on Chu Huan Xian himself. His weapon is a double-bladed sword with one blade coming out of each side of the handle.  
  
Yue Ying whips out her two daggers and takes on Zhuo Guang Ming.  
  
Xu Wan Gang takes on Ye Tie Xin.  
  
Feng Xian, using his bow and arrows, takes on Cat, who seems unarmed, but strikes a pose with his hands.  
  
Jing Ming Yen looks on by the side, along with Lei Shun Jing. But Lei Shun Jing, like her, does not seem interested. But he glances around the scene, what does he see?  
  
We CLOSE UP on the giant bat-wing tonfa-sabers that Chu Huan Xian wields.  
  
We CLOSE UP on the "butterflies" in Jing Ming Yen's hair.  
  
We CLOSE UP on the armor that Zhuo Guang Ming is wearing.  
  
We CLOSE UP on the strange weapon that Ye Tie Xin uses.  
  
Lei Shun Jing's eyes open wide in glee.  
  
The fights rage.  
  
Pathfinder is the strongest among all the combatants, and it shows. He and Chu Huan Xian are matching each other blow for blow. Pathfinder's style is almost built on the "spiral", while Chu's is almost built on the "arc".  
  
The radius of his weapon is limited to small concentric circles, but with one swift move he can produce so many of them that his prowess is frightening. One can imagine Pathfinder as having many small force fields around him.  
  
While Chu Huan Xian's weapons being heavy, his weapon mainly swipes around in great arcs that maximize their attack radius. One can imagine him as having one large and far-ranging force field around him.  
  
Yue Ying, however, doesn't fare as well. Her two short daggers rely on swiftness, not range, and range and stability of attacks is something that Zhuo Guang Ming has plenty of, his single sword waving through the air, and despite standing still.  
  
Yue Ying's attacks increase in anger and swiftness when all of a sudden she screams as she stares into space. An almost supernatural scream.  
  
Zhuo is frightened by this and immediately unleashes his secret weapon, he lets out an arrow from a secret compartment in his armor beneath his wrist, the arrow hits with such force that is actually throws Yue Ying's body backwards as it pierces her.  
  
She falls off the roof like a rag doll, and lands on the ground.  
  
As Pathfinder and Chu Huan Xian continue their fight, Chu laughs.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN One down on your side already.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Don't get too cocky!  
  
Pathfinder does one mega-spiral, a move that consists of thrusting his knuckles outward so that the sword is horizontal and then subsequently whirring it so fast while drawing it back in that the effect it has is not unlike a small vertical tornado with the enemy at the tail end.  
  
Chu makes use of this opportunity anyway and swipes his batwing tonfa- sabers at Pathfinder, who dodges the attack with a lowering of his body, thereby discontinuing his previous move, but in doing so does another outward sword spiral, this time blade held horizontally.  
  
Three times during this spiral the sword nearly wounds Chu as it forces him back, and on the fourth count a spurt of blood Gushes out of Chu's chest as it is wounded and Chu falls onto the roof.  
  
He picks himself up again, leaping back into position, and continues to fight, this time one of his giant sabers pointing down, the other held across, and makes a charge at Pathfinder, who leaps up, landing on one of the sabers itself with his feet, pivots on it while the other foot lets out and delivers a blow to Chu's back.  
  
Chu collapses onto the roof again. Now Pathfinder has his sword aimed at Chu's neck as the man lies on his back.  
  
Chu can only let go of his twin sabers, which he lets fall to the side.  
  
Xu Wan Gang is facing off a man with an unnatural weapon, the lobster-crab thingy works as a shield at close range, leaving the other hand free to attack.  
  
But that's if you can even get to close range, so far the lobster-crab- shield's pincers are moving with such swiftness and dexterity as if by magic. And we see that Xu Wan Gang, despite having supposedly mastered Xu Lian Zhang's style and the style of Shang-Guan Wu Tian's "Migratory Swallow" sword style, is unable to cope with this strange new weapon.  
  
Within a few blows, he is knocked back.  
  
Now we see Feng Xian unsuccessfully faces off Cat, he has already driven three arrows into Cat's body, but yet Cat seems to come on unrelentingly. Cat doesn't seem to have any style so much as superhuman agility, he leaps up into the air and stretching out his hands clawlike, grabs Feng Xian just as he drives another arrow into Cat's body and they leap off the roof.  
  
While in mid-air, they struggle and Cat explodes, he is actually an explosive-loaded mechanical man, Feng Xian, though manages to flip out just before the explosion happens and escapes relatively unharmed, but we see as he collapses to the ground below.  
  
Meanwhile, Ye Tie Xin clearly is already winning in his fight as one of the pincers gets past Xu's defences and draws a deep gash across the youth's chest.  
  
In desperation, Xu Wan Gang attempts to use the final measure.  
  
Mustering all his concentration to him, he thrusts out his sword in front of him, and attempts to pull off Xu's trademark move, with a twist.  
  
Now the sword's blade splits, and each side attacks one pincer, but Ye has caught on, and then grabs hold of both with the pincers, with a forceful snap, Xu Lian Zhang's sword breaks.  
  
And at this moment, Ye has come right up to Xu, and the pincers are right at Xu's neck.  
  
YE TIE XIN Say your prayers, I'm going to.  
  
At this moment, something grabs his neck, it is a chain.  
  
It turns out that it is Lei's chain.  
  
Lei throws down a sword at Xu, who catches it.  
  
Then Lei gives the chain a yank, and immediately, the life goes out of Ye's body as he collapses to the ground.  
  
The chain unwraps itself.  
  
At this moment Jing Ming Yen leaps down and attacks Lei and Xu, who are now on the same roof. First she throws out the two butterflies from her hair, which are actually flying darts of some sort. And she throws them in such a way that they fly off in different directions, one to each target.  
  
But Lei just gives his chain a flick, and the two butterfly darts are beaten out of the air  
  
He whirls his chain around again and it now snakes up into the air and wraps itself around Jing Ming Yen's waist.  
  
Like a human yo-yo she becomes, as Lei quickly pulls the chain and reels her in like a fish.  
  
When up close he delivers a kick to her waist and abdomen, which is already wrapped around with the chain, she immediately spurts out a single jet of blood from her mouth.  
  
He kicks her again, the chain unwraps, yo-yoing her far out into the distance and off the roof.  
  
At this moment Zhuo Guang Ming comes attacking with his sword.  
  
With a single move, Lei Shun Jing has already curled his chain up into three loops, and in one single move, Zhuo's sword is caught.  
  
LEI SHUN JING This piece of scrap metal is unworthy of my possession, let it be destroyed!  
  
A wave of energy courses through the chain, causing Zhuo's sword to burst in the process, its blade exploding off in several different directions.  
  
Zhuo is thrown back, and while he is thrown back, we see as what little life in him is taken out by Lei with a single blow to the head with the chain.  
  
Xu Wan Gang is amazed.  
  
XU WAN GANG Er.thanks.  
  
LEI SHUN JING Don't worry, kid, one day you'll have my ability too.  
  
As Pathfinder sees this he laughs in glee at this fallen foe, who is seething in anger as Pathfinder's sword gleams in front of his neck.  
  
PATHFINDER Look, all down on your side.  
  
At this moment we see as a whole bunch of guards arrives, lining up in front of the building that Pathfinder and Chu Huan Xian have had their duel.  
  
These are the guards of the mansion, and they are led by none other than An Kui himself. Besides him stands the African slave.  
  
AN KUI Well well, look who dropped in. Don't worry anymore, your fallen team members shall be compensated for, and then you shall be richly rewarded. (to guards) Men, arrest them!  
  
Just then he finds that all the guards' spears are pointed at him.  
  
AN KUI What is the meaning of this?  
  
All of a sudden, the African slave speaks up.  
  
AFRICAN SLAVE  
  
I am Lian Wen, loyal Commander of the Darklight Alliance, and hereby I place you under arrest!  
  
AN KUI How dare you.  
  
LIAN WEN Did you think I was a mere slave? Well, I was until my mistress, Bai Biao's wife, set me free, and he in turn gave me my powers! I have been given orders to arrest you from Bai Biao himself, and to hold those Traveling Phantoms for detention until further notice!  
  
Lian Wen takes out a seal from the folds of his robe.  
  
AN KUI She was a Christian! It's people like her who corrupt the Empire!  
  
LIAN WEN I would have been a Christian, if not for the fact that my hard life has stopped me from believing in a merciful God. It's really people like you that corrupt the Empire.  
  
AN KUI Well, then, take this!  
  
An Kui whips out his fan, which is a half-moon fan with razor tips, and slashes it across Lian Wen's face, blinding him in one eye. Lian Wen whips out his weapon, which is a curved sword, and the two fight.  
  
An Kui desperately tries to reach for the seal that Lian is holding with his free hand while they thrust, parry, riposte and separate.  
  
The guards part nervously, now no longer knowing what to do.  
  
It is clear from the start that Lian Wen despite being blinded, is the stronger, and that An Kui is a clumsy and ineffective fighter considering his background, his hand reaching out futilely for the robe, to grab the seal that will give him control.  
  
Within four rounds, Lian has already taken out An Kui and kicked him to the ground, where he lies, dazed.  
  
Lian Wen reads out An Kui's crimes.  
  
LIAN WEN On the charges of embezzlement and corruption of which you have been found guilty, you are hereby.  
  
Just then we hear the loud scream of a young girl.  
  
It is Yue Ying, who bolts out of one of the compound's alleys, her eyes aglow along with the shard that is around her neck.  
  
Lian Wen is lost for words.  
  
LIAN WEN The shard is real!  
  
The arrow is still in her, but she has her five fingers wrapped around the shaft.  
  
The good eye of Lian Wen is wide open as he sees this.  
  
The rest of the guards point their spears at Yue Ying.  
  
Yue Ying does not care, her eyes are filled with anger.  
  
Yue Ying slowly but surely pulls out the shaft from her chest.  
  
CLOSE UP on her bloodied hand as it pulls the arrow out, very slowly.  
  
We see that the arrow shaft is already dripping with blood, and that blood is slowly oozing out of her chest.  
  
Then when she finishes drawing the arrow, she holds it in her hand.  
  
Then we see something miraculous.  
  
The wound on her chest that would have been fatal is starting to heal, at an almost superhuman rate.  
  
Within seconds, it is gone.  
  
The guards step back, terror written all over their faces.  
  
Lian Wen prepares to fight, assuming a defensive stance with his sword.  
  
Words pour out of Yue Ying's mouth very slowly.  
  
YUE YING I want that man for myself.none of you will touch him!  
  
On the rooftops, the rest of the fighters are equally disturbed by this scene. Except of course for Lei Shun Jing.  
  
Chu Huan Xian's words slowly escape his mouth as he tries to pick himself up.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN It's.it's the shard.it's mine.  
  
Pathfinder grabs his him by the hair and PULLS!  
  
PATHFINDER SHUT UP!  
  
Chu Huan Xian falls silent.  
  
LIAN WEN That artifact is my Lord's desire! Surrender it to the Darklight Alliance or else!  
  
Yue Ying's eyes are filled with anger as she looks at Lian Wen.  
  
YUE YING Blood.blood will stain the earth.I realize, blood awoke me, blood I will spill!  
  
She takes out her two daggers and comes rushing towards the guards.  
  
At this moment Xu Wan Gang rushes over the rooftops, leaps down and lands right beside Yue Ying, blocking her with his palm, in his other hand his sword is ready.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Ying! Give me the shard now! I know what's happening, it's the blood, right? You saw the blood, too, the rain of blood!  
  
Yue Ying is lost for words, but she just nods.  
  
Then she runs up and hugs Xu Wan Gang. At the same time, tears flow out of the corners of Yue Ying's eyes as she looks into his.  
  
YUE YING I should have died there. But I didn't.  
  
At this time there is an emotion that nobody ever registered displayed on Pathfinder's face: genuine concern.  
  
PATHFINDER Are you alright, Ying-er?  
  
Yue Ying does not reply. She just looks over Xu Wan Gang's shoulder, at Lian Wen contemptuously.  
  
YUE YING You filthy cur! An Kui is ours!  
  
XU WAN GANG Can't you see, he won't do us any good even if we nab him, he's a scumbag, even the Darklight Alliance does not want him. (Beat) Let's leave him alone.  
  
YUE YING I cannot leave any member of the Darklight Alliance alone after what I saw!  
  
XU WAN GANG Yes, the killing, the flames, the rain turning red.I saw it all.  
  
YUE YING I saw more than that, Wan Gang, maybe you don't recall it, but I can in perfect detail. I also saw how my father died.  
  
LIAN WEN Your father was.  
  
YUE YING Yes, Yue Tian Jun, one of your Master's countless victims.  
  
We see as Yue Ying's voice continues through the transition.  
  
VISION SEQUENCE BEGINS It is a dark and rainy night, the place is unknown.  
  
But as we move down to the ground, we see that the rain is now red upon mixing with blood.  
  
Slowly we see a pair of shoes, then we move up.  
  
Slowly the figure of Bai Biao is revealed.  
  
We see that he is drinking from something, it is a human head, and blood is flowing out from the neck, as it has just been freshly cut.  
  
The head is none other than that of Yue Tian Jun.  
  
Bai Biao drinks from the head the mix of blood and rainwater with the lust one would expect from fine wine.  
  
CLOSE UP on his hand, we see that in it he is holding a large saber, the blood on which has already been washed away by the rainwater..  
  
Then nearby we see Yue Ying as she is at her present age. In front of her is her when she was just a child.  
  
She is too shocked to cry.  
  
Lying on the floor near Bai Biao is the headless corpse of her father.  
  
CLOSE UP on the face of the young Yue Ying, which is blank and as emotionless as a stone.  
  
The older Yue Ying's eyes, though, are turning red from crying.  
  
We see as Bai Biao dramatically throws the severed head aside, and closes his eyes, feeling the impact of rain upon his face. He looks at Yue Ying, his eyes are somewhat sad, but yet there is a sort of glee in them. Looking at him, it is hard to tell the emotion he feels for the child. Is it pity, or sadistic glee, or something located in the middle?  
  
We just don't know, but the rain falls down on his face, and one is already unable to tell of it is rain that is falling down on his face, or if it has mixed with tears.  
  
We now focus on the grown up Yue Ying, eyes still running with anger and tears, but the VISION SEQUENCE ENDS as the background MORPHS to:  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS NIGHT Yue Ying's face is still stuck in a similar expression. Now she most violently pushes Xu Wan Gang to the ground.  
  
YUE YING  
  
Your Master decapitated my father, and drank his blood! I won't stop till I get to do the same thing to him! But first I'll start with you!  
  
Lian Wen's eyes are wide in a cross between belief and skepticism as he holds out his saber at this girl who seems to have sprung back from the dead.  
  
LIAN WEN Listen, you are not going to do anything to my Master so long as I am here. (Beat) Now all of you stop! This fight is between me and this girl alone!  
  
YUE YING That's right!  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
No, don't try to take him on, you don't know what you're doing!  
  
Xu Wan Gang picks himself up and is already trying to remove his new sword from his scabbard when a Guard grabs him.  
  
Xu turns around. The Guard shakes his head and pulls Xu back from the fray.  
  
Xu watches from the sides and Lian Wen and Yue Ying prepare to fight.  
  
But right now Xu can only shout at Lian.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Sir, aim for the shard around her neck! She doesn't know what she is doing!  
  
Nobody, though, seems to hear what it is that Xu is saying.  
  
LIAN WEN Aim for the shard all right, my Master has wanted this artifact for a long time!  
  
Then Lian and Yue start fighting.  
  
Lian is a greatly skilled fighter, despite the fact that he is blinded in one eye.  
  
Despite the fact that Yue Ying's twin daggers move like flying fishes in water, Lian is perfectly capable of holding his own for a few moves. Lian Wen is more a display of brute force that conceals elegance, while Yue Ying is a display of supernatural agility.  
  
Lian delivers a kick to Yue, but she blocks it by crossing her twin daggers.  
  
But pressing down her twin daggers with his foot, he parts them and then goes in for the kill with a thrust that strikes inches within Yue's neck, but her twin daggers leap up in time and sandwich his blade between them.  
  
Pushing his saber back with her twin daggers, she delivers a flying kick to his chest which he again avoids by jumping out of reach.  
  
While in mid-air he converts from a jump to a forward roll and comes crashing down on Yue Ying.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Aim for the blind spot!  
  
LIAN WEN What the hell.?  
  
Before he can finish his sentence Yue Ying nods and leaps up, where the two exchange a few rapid blows in mid-air, then just as Lian Wen is about to make a slash at Yue Ying, she spins to the side, swinging her legs up and in the process turning her body into a horizontal projectile.  
  
A move which he tries to counter with a swipe of his saber, but.  
  
TOO LATE! She has already drawn a scar slightly below the bloodied mess that is his eye.  
  
He lets out a cry of anger and makes for the shard that is around her neck, but she leaps further up and out of the way, so that his saber barely misses her.  
  
The two land, facing off each other now.  
  
From her height advantage she comes swooping down on Lian Wen, who manages to parry a few more of her blows until in an instance of delay on his part, she manages to disappear into his blind spot. But he is better prepared for it now and whirls around.  
  
Now it has boiled down to a competition of speed, whoever turns around faster will have the winning hand.and he has done so just in time to.  
  
Witness that she in fact behind him faster than he can spin, has one dagger around his neck while her other dagger is pointed at his chest, and that his hand holding the saber is already firmly clasped by her to his side.  
  
YUE YING  
  
Don't any of you move, you're going to watch me kill him, decapitate him, and drink his blood!  
  
The guards lift up their spears in much fear.  
  
At this time Xu Wan Gang, who happens to be some distance behind Yue Ying, tears away from the crowd and in a series of moves all too quick, escapes the thrust of a Guard's spear, leaps behind Yue Ying and makes a down-to-up slash with his newfound sword that severs Yue Ying.  
  
Or her clothes at least, from her waist right up to her neck leaving her body unharmed.  
  
The back of her outfit parts, revealing her flawless complexion.  
  
Feng Xian's eyes pop wide open.  
  
But we also see that Xu Wan Gang has in fact parted the shard from her.  
  
SLO-MO: The shard flies through the air.  
  
And lands in the palm of Xu Wan Gang.  
  
At this moment a change seems to have come over Yue Ying.  
  
She seems to start growing weaker, her hands fall limp to her side, her eyes roll over, and then she finally collapses to the ground.  
  
All this leaving Lian Wen standing.  
  
Lian Wen looks at Xu Wan Gang rather incredulously.  
  
LIAN WEN Kid.you did some job back there.I don't know.if I should thank you or kill you.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Sir, I just didn't want any more unnecessary deaths.  
  
LIAN WEN Unnecessary?  
  
XU WAN GANG Like I said, An Kui is a piece of trash. I'm sure that with this decree to arrest the son of a founding member of the Darklight Alliance states that even his father has given up on him?  
  
LIAN WEN Indeed it is so.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
If such is the case, then I think we should hand him over to you. We have no need for him anymore.  
  
LIAN WEN Agreed. But you cannot leave without giving us the shard. We outnumber you, don't try to fight us.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Sir. Do you want the shard yourself? Have you seen the harm it did to her?  
  
He points to Yue Ying and sighs.  
  
XU WAN GANG (cont.) It drives her mad, it puts fear, terror, bloodlust and anger into her head. It's going to make me mad too one of these days, but I must return it to its rightful owner, because it is my destiny to do so.  
  
LIAN WEN It is indeed an unholy object. But my Master Bai Biao wants it, and I am but his soldier.  
  
XU WAN GANG Sometimes people want things that aren't good for them. Please, this belongs with its owner, whoever it is.  
  
Lian Wen laughs and turns to Pathfinder.  
  
LIAN WEN Sir, you can let go of that man now, nobody will be paying him anyway.  
  
Pathfinder lets go of Chu Huan Xian, who he has up till now been pulling by the hair, and kicks him to the ground below.  
  
He lands, spitting out a bloodied tooth as he does so.  
  
Immediately a few guards grab him.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN Well, let me tell you this, I am the rightful owner of that shard!  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
You, the rightful owner!? Prodigal Son never mentioned you, did he?  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN Well, let's just say this, he didn't have the guts to mention me! He and I we go back a long way, our families have known each other for nearly eighty years! (Beat) Did you know how that shard came about, it wasn't a good luck charm at all, it was a piece of the greatest sword ever made! And did you know where the metal for the stone came from? The metal for that shard, and the sword, was not from China at all!  
  
At this time Lei Shun Jing has leaped down from the roof, just to hear the story.  
  
Chu's voice continues through the flashback.  
  
FLASHBACK BEGINS EXT. ARABIA DAY Caption: Year 600 This is a wide-open temple where many people sit worshipping a giant rock.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN(v/o) It all goes back, almost three centuries ago the people of my ancestors worshipped deaf and blind objects, one of these was a giant rock that fell from the sky many years ago.  
  
DISSOLVE TO:  
  
A man whose visage is unseen, preaching to a group of people.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN (v/o) That was until the Prophet Muhammed, Peace Be Upon Him, declared that the idol gods be abolished and that Allah was the one True God. Of course, He had a point, how could stone and wood could not possibly have eyes and ears to see and hear your grief? (beat) But my ancestor saw it differently.  
  
We now see as among the crowd He is preaching to there is an old man with a long beard and a turban. This is Chu's ancestor YUSEF.  
  
We see as he shakes his head.  
  
INT. LIBRARY DAY We see Yusef sitting in a library, surrounded by many ancient and arcane texts, he nods as he finishes a paragraph of the book he is reading.  
  
He shakes his head as he closes the book.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN(v/o) My ancestor Yusef was from a great family of alchemists, and he knew that the Great Rock was loaded with rich deposits of iron of celestial origin, it was iron from Allah himself. If Allah made all things with a purpose He made to be beaten into swords for heroes. (Beat) But if this rock were to be destroyed by the mob, they would have been blind to a greater purpose that Allah had in mind.  
  
EXT. TEMPLE NIGHT We see as Yusef, along with a great entourage, comes along, to the temple of the Great Rock.  
  
The men break down the door with a huge log.  
  
Then they enter the temple.  
  
EXT. DESERT DAY Yusef is sitting on his carriage, which is loaded with the Great Rock, and he is guarded by his entourage, which are in fact his children, armed to the teeth with sabers.  
  
Along the way one of them drops dead from heat exhaustion.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN(v/o) The trek grew perilous and long, as my ancestors made the journey across the Great Silk Roads to reach the great Empire of China.  
  
EXT. CHANG AN DAY Yusef and his entourage enter the Capital of China at last, their carriage is holding the Great Rock intact.  
  
The Chinese around them regard the travelers with much curiosity, and some children actually come along to tease the beard of one of Yusef's sons.  
  
He gives their heads a good little rub.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: A pavilion by a lake, here we see one of Yusef's sons look lovingly into the eyes of a Chinese woman. They kiss.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN (v/o) So over time my family settled down, and we intermarried with the Chinese.  
  
DISSOLVE TO:  
  
On a hilltop we see as the couple practice swordplay together.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN (v/o) Combining Arab alchemy and swordplay with the Chinese martial arts, we changed our surnames to Chu where before we had none, and became the Chu school of martial arts. We didn't use just swords and fists and feet, we also used mechanics and the principles of alchemy.  
  
EXT. FORGE DAY At a blacksmith's forge we see as the Arab man looks at a mastercrafted sword, the same sword that would become the sword of Shi Wushuang----the Undefeated.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN It was us who forged the sword of which that shard is a part of! It is therefore only right that it belongs to us. Prodigal Son knew it, but he was too ashamed to come to us with what he had done, and therefore he wanted you to do the task for him!  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
No, I will not trust Prodigal Son! It cannot belong to you, whoever it belongs to must be a person capable of maintaining his sanity through everything I've seen! You cannot!  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN What nonsense is this?  
  
XU WAN GANG Can you face fear, loss and despair on the scale I have witnessed? Look, it drove Yue Ying crazy, it's driving me crazy, and I do not know what kinds of effects it will have on the likes of you, but I just know, it does not belong to any of you people at all.  
  
LIAN WEN I agree.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN This is.this is outrageous! I demand you return me what is mine!  
  
XU WAN GANG So you made things like this?  
  
Xu Wan Gang takes out the "dead" swallow and throws it at Chu Huan Xian.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN Well, that is mine indeed.you have.  
  
XU WAN GANG Take it, I don't want it anymore.  
  
Before he can finish Lian Wen has cut him off.  
  
LIAN WEN Enough, on his part, I have agreed to stop pursuing the matter for tonight. Next time we meet we meet as enemies. (Beat) We have done our duty for now, and we will give An Kui his appropriate punishment, the shard is of secondary importance now.  
  
The guards just nod in agreement.  
  
Just at this moment An Kui, who seems to have been lying dazed on the ground, suddenly throws a smoke bomb to the ground, then leaps up into the air.  
  
Before any of the guards can stop him, whips his half-moon fan flying across the air so that it scatters a shower of razor tips all over the place, then he leaps onto one of the rooftops as he glides onto a pavilion and then springs onto the eaves.  
  
LIAN WEN I'll see to that!  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
So will I!  
  
Lian Wen and Pathfinder leap onto the same rooftop and tries to catch up with An Kui, who by now has disappeared over it.  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS ROOFTOPS NIGHT Lian Wen and Pathfinder stand on the rooftop, but he can see no one right now. An Kui has already leapt out of his compound.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
You have got to give him credit, running away is one thing the kid's been good for.  
  
LIAN WEN He's been doing it all his life.  
  
Just then, Pathfinder points his double bladed sword at Lian Wen's back.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Well, at least he got to do it, because you can't do it now.  
  
LIAN WEN What the.?  
  
He turns around and looks down.  
  
At this moment we see that a large number of troopers have arrived. These are men dressed in similar fashion to Feng Xian and his mercs, and they all come on horseback.  
  
Immediately they surround the place, weapons at the ready.  
  
The mansion guards drop their weapons and surrender.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
As of now all of An Kui's wealth shall belong to me!  
  
LIAN WEN Who are you anyway?  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
That's for me to know and you to find out.  
  
Pathfinder slashes his sword across Lian Wen's body. He screams and after spinning around, falls off the roof.  
  
On the ground, Xu Wan Gang is dumbstruck at the sudden amount of "help" that has arrived".  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
What has happened? Who are these?  
  
The leader of the men speaks up.  
  
LEADER  
  
I am the local armed escort chief, and this is my entourage. We have been called by your Pathfinder to transport the ill-gotten wealth of An Kui to where it will be safe.in the Capital! (Beat) As for all of An Kui's men, these evil-doers shall all be destroyed!  
  
The already disarmed guards, servants etc.. are helplessly rounded up.  
  
Then they are taken in front of the armed escort entourage.  
  
The armed escorts draw their arrows.  
  
Then we hear Pathfinder's voice before it happens.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Leave one of them behind, we'll chop off his hands and have him carry our message with his stumps! His mouth if he has to!  
  
FADE TO BLACK.  
  
We hear the screams of the dying.  
  
EXT. FOREST OUTSIDE AN KUI'S MANSIONS NIGHT Longevity, Bai Jie and Bai Ge Ni hear the noise coming from the mansion.  
  
BAI GE NI What's that?  
  
BAI JIE I dunno.sounds like the mansion is being sacked. we can't go back now.  
  
LONGEVITY We can't?  
  
BAI GE NI Yes.Oh no! I have to go back!  
  
LONGEVITY Huh?  
  
BAI GE NI My mother's painting! I can't lose my mother all over again!  
  
LONGEVITY Well whatever it is, I'm running away now!  
  
Longevity heads off into the distance, never to be seen again.  
  
BAI JIE Wait, you're supposed to be loyal to the Darklight Alliance!  
  
LONGEVITY I can't care less!  
  
Bai Ge Ni lets out a cry of anger and draws his sword, leaping up into the air and down again, he slashes Longevity across the back, killing him instantly.  
  
BAI GE NI Once to the Darklight Alliance, always to the Darklight Alliance!  
  
With that, she drags Longevity by his hands and carries him back to her brother.  
  
The two of them look at the corpse of the servant.  
  
BAI JIE What are we going to do with him?  
  
BAI GE NI Let's bury him first, talk about other things later.  
  
The two kids start using their swords to dig up a makeshift grave.  
  
BAI GE NI You dig, I'll go back and get mother's picture, okay?  
  
BAI JIE Good luck to you, sis, you'll need it.  
  
BAI GE NI Thanks.  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS NIGHT We see as huge chests of treasure are moved out by many of the "armed escorts" and loaded onto a huge carriage pulled by five horses.  
  
The mercs killed in battle are all laid out on the ground.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Take them all to be buried, they have died well.  
  
Meanwhile Xu Wan Gang looks at all this in disbelief.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Robbers, that's what we're acting like.  
  
At this moment he sees Lei Shun Jing walking by.  
  
XU WAN GANG Lei, do you know where Yue Ying is?  
  
LEI SHUN JING Oh she's fine, she's resting, she'll recover.  
  
XU WAN GANG Have you seen Feng Xian, by the way?  
  
Lei shakes his head.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
And thanks for the.  
  
LEI SHUN JING Sword? Ha ha ha.wait till you see what I've got, I have thousands of swords like these all over! (Beat) Did you see the carvings that were on your sword yet?  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
No, why?  
  
LEI SHUN JING O you must look at it! Don't you find that the sword really fits you?  
  
XU WAN GANG It does, in fact it fits me better than the sword Xu gave me.why?  
  
Xu Wan Gang takes the sword out of his saber, and then looks at the words that are written on it:  
  
THE SWORD OF THE GU FAMILY  
  
LEI SHUN JING Well, let's just say you and the sword go a long way back, I could say the same too about the sword that I want to give Yue Ying, can you give it to her for me?  
  
Lei Shun Jing takes out the second of the two swords he has on his back and gives it to Xu Wan Gang.  
  
Suddenly a look of panic spreads across Xu Wan Gang's face.  
  
XU WAN GANG Yes.  
  
Xu Wan Gang quickly leaves Lei Shun Jing and runs through the compound.  
  
He comes to two blocks, located around a serene manmade pond. In the portico of one of the houses he sees none other than Feng Xian standing in the portico, the nearby guard of the room not caring at all but in fact joining Feng Xian.  
  
Immediately he leaps up and jumps right into the portico.  
  
Feng Xian is startled by the sudden arrival of Xu Wan Gang.  
  
FENG XIAN Xu? What are you doing here?  
  
XU WAN GANG I see, you recovered from your coma fast...  
  
FENG XIAN Of course, it takes more than just that to knock me down, heh heh. what have you come for?  
  
XU WAN GANG To see Yue Ying.  
  
Xu Wan Gang sees that a hole has been pierced in the paper windows, and shakes his head disapprovingly.  
  
He throws the door open, and we see that resting inside is none other than Yue Ying, resting in a silky see-through blouse and a back-revealing one- piece underneath.  
  
Then he shuts the door and sits down beside the bed.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Poor girl.  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS YUE YING'S BEDROOM DAY The guard hisses at Feng Xian as he continues to peek through the hole.  
  
GUARD  
  
Hey, is he doing anything NASTY in there?  
  
FENG XIAN No. not at all, if I'm not mistaken, I think he really cares about her. The fool.  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S COMPOUND GATE NIGHT We see as some of the guards have laid Chu Huan Xian out on the ground.  
  
And one of them is carrying a very big iron rod which he waves gleefully in his hand, and brings it down and hard on Chu's knees. Pathfinder is standing nearby.  
  
Offsscreen, Chu Huan Xian lets out a loud scream as his knees are broken. Xu Wan Gang screws his face up in disgust.  
  
Pathfinder has two ready-made crutches by his side.  
  
PATHFINDER You will not go back with your two sabers, but with these in your hands.  
  
He twirls the crutch around.  
  
PATHFINDER(cont.) Look, isn't it a great weapon?  
  
He lets out a sadistic laugh, and the others around him join in.  
  
Chu Huan Xian spits at him.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN I will not forget this.never!  
  
Pathfinder throws the crutches at Chu Huan Xian.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Wear these crutches and walk back home, tell them whoever crosses Pathfinder will regret it! (turns to his men) Just loot the money for now, tomorrow we'll start to inspect the relics in these mansions. An Kui has bought treasures from all over the world, we'll see what we can take!  
  
INT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS YUE YING'S BEDROOM NIGHT Xu Wan Gang sits besides Yue Ying, he lays his hand on her lips, a soft sound barely escapes them.  
  
XU WAN GANG Yue Ying.you're.awake!  
  
Yue Ying wakes up and nods. Then she gives him a hug.  
  
YUE YING Yes, I am.oh it was like I had a nightmare just now, I don't know what came over me!  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
The same thing that came over me when I wore it.those visions of fear and despair and death. The shard gives people those visions. I think it may have something to do with its origins.  
  
YUE YING What were its origins?  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Like I said, those grown ups haven't told us everything. I just heard the story from Chu himself. I don't know how much of what he said is true, but he said this shard is made of a metal believed to have been sent to Earth by a Supreme Being.  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS YUE YING'S BEDROOM Feng Xian is looking at them in utter ridicule as he overhears the origin story of the sword.  
  
FENG XIAN Oh don't tell me he doesn't want to do the nasty yet!  
  
GUARD  
  
What?  
  
FENG XIAN I tampered with the incense in the room, it was an aphrodisiac! Those two should be drunk on it by now already! And I thought it was okay to miss my chance so long as I got to see them get some action!  
  
GUARD  
  
Don't worry, any minute now.  
  
INT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS YUE YING'S BEDROOM There is not much of a sign that the two of them have the hots for each other yet, anyhow.  
  
XU WAN GANG .I think.  
  
YUE YING  
  
Stop thinking and just give it to me!  
  
Yue Ying takes the sword that Lei Shun Jing has given Xu Wan Gang, and then just chucks it aside.  
  
She lets out a small giggle.  
  
YUE YING Is there anything you really want to tell me right now?  
  
We see that as of now Xu Wan Gang already has his hand on the blanket.  
  
On his face are drops of sweat.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Not much else but.  
  
Yue Ying immediately grabs his hand and pulls it under the sheets.  
  
XU WAN GANG (cont.) Hey.  
  
YUE YING  
  
I'm letting you feel my thigh right now.and you're moving up..  
  
His resistance is also getting low, but he is aware.  
  
XU WAN GANG We have to get out of this place.  
  
Yue Ying though, does nothing. She reaches out, traces the outline of his lips with her finger, then grabs him and pulls him onto her bed. He starts to give in, moving the rest of his body up onto the bed and moves his face to hers, they kiss long and deep, her tongue snaking its way into his mouth.  
  
Then he pulls away again.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
I can't do this.not now, just not now.  
  
YUE YING What's wrong with doing it now anyway?  
  
She sits up and grabs hold of him by the shoulders, then leans close to his face again, mouth open, her fragrant breath upon him.  
  
They kiss another time, she guides his hand so that it takes off her outer gown, revealing her slender arms. A faint muted whine escaping her lips as she does so.  
  
XU WAN GANG You're getting.too much.  
  
They kiss again, she starts to pull away the blanket that is the only thing between them.  
  
YUE YING  
  
Now it starts.  
  
He knows he has to do something now. Immediately he gets off the bed and grabs her by the hand, pulling her out of bed immediately and walking towards the doorway.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Let's go now, you need some fresh air outside.  
  
YUE YING What do you mean fresh air?  
  
She grabs him and tries to get him back in, but to no avail. He slides the door open and exits.  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S COMPOUND YUE YING'S BEDROOM By now Feng Xian and the guard are both standing by the side, trying to pretend they don't know anything of what's going on.  
  
FENG XIAN What the.?  
  
Xu Wan Gang shuts the door to the room immediately while Yue Ying is still clinging on to him.  
  
YUE YING Come back in.!  
  
There is a slight hint of anger as Xu Wan Gang looks at Feng Xian.  
  
XU WAN GANG (to Feng Xian) There was a drug in the room, it was making her act foolishly.  
  
He leads her to the portico.  
  
XU WAN GANG Now breathe deeply. Just do it.  
  
YUE YING Whatever.  
  
She does as she is told.  
  
Then using his fingers he hits two of her acupuncture points. She lets out a cough, and leans forward onto the portico, gasping.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
You see what I mean?  
  
YUE YING Yeah, yeah, what happened in there.?  
  
XU WAN GANG You were almost going to make a mistake you couldn't afford to. We have to move out of this place, I'll have to go back in and get something first.  
  
Xu Wan Gang enters the room again, covering his nose, and then comes out, taking the swords meant for the two of them in one hand, as well as carrying Yue Ying's daggers on his back.  
  
XU WAN GANG Come on, let's go.  
  
EXT. PAVILION NIGHT This is a pavilion by another of the compound's various manmade lakes, here we see as Xu Wan Gang and Yue Ying sit. It is already approaching dawn.  
  
Yue Ying has now changed out of her bedclothes into an elegant dress. Her head hangs in sorrow.  
  
YUE YING I'm so sorry, I didn't know.  
  
XU WAN GANG Don't worry, I'll tell Pathfinder about this first thing in the morning, misconduct on the part of people like Feng Xian cannot be forgiven.  
  
YUE YING Thank you.  
  
XU WAN GANG A drugged person can do anything you want him or her to, so it wasn't your fault. I almost couldn't resist it myself. (Beat) Now see this.  
  
He shows the sword Lei Shun Jing has given him to her.  
  
XU WAN GANG Do you recognize this?  
  
YUE YING I haven't really seen it but.  
  
XU WAN GANG Lei Shun Jing has told me that the swords he has given to both of us go back a long way, now I haven't seen the sword that he gave me before, I'm wondering.  
  
Yue Ying removes her sword from its scabbard. Her sword is slender and elegant, and on the hilt is set a sapphire.  
  
She starts to inspect the small carvings on her sword.  
  
YUE YING This is the Blue Sky Sword, it's been a family heirloom of mine. After my father's defeat at Bai Biao's the Darklight Alliance destroyed everything my family had, and the sword has since disappeared. (Beat) Where did that crazy old man actually get this?  
  
XU WAN GANG Wait, if he says that this is your family heirloom, my sword could be my family heirloom too!  
  
He takes out his sword, and reads:  
  
XU WAN GANG .The Sword of the Gu Family (Beat) I know Master Xu always told me my real family was unknown and that they died in a flood, but if the Gu family were such great martial artists then they could not have been unknown to someone like Master Xu. (Beat) He's been lying to me all this while.  
  
YUE YING He probably did it for a good reason, maybe the Gu family were really evil people.  
  
XU WAN GANG Maybe, just maybe.  
  
Then in the background we see that a shadow has leapt over a wall and has slunk into the compound.  
  
Yue Ying turns back almost instinctively.  
  
She picks up the Blue Sky Sword and her daggers, leaps out of the pavilion, skips over the pond and leaps onto a nearby building, disappearing over it.  
  
XU WAN GANG Where do you think you're going?  
  
Just at this moment Pathfinder comes up from behind him, laying a hand on his shoulder.  
  
PATHFINDER She's just angry that she's been taken advantaged of by someone like Feng Xian, you know. She needs some time off, cut her a little slack.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
I hope you're right. How have you punished Feng, then?  
  
PATHFINDER Really, child, you must understand that Feng's the life of the party among us.so we can't afford to have our spirits down by too much. I just gave him a slap on the wrist only.  
  
XU WAN GANG Only.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Yes, child, come with me, I'm sure Ying-er will be fine on her own.this is a glorious night, it's time to help ourselves to our loot, you know.  
  
Xu Wan Gang follows Pathfinder.  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS NIGHT The shadow that has leapt over the wall, of course, is none other than Bai Ge Ni herself.  
  
As she runs across one of the alleys we see as Yue Ying comes swooping down from the eaves of a building nearby and chases after her.  
  
Bai Ge Ni turns back, to see Yue Ying hot on her trail.  
  
She picks up speed.  
  
We see that the two girls are in increasingly close proximity of each other.  
  
At this point we see that the two of them draw their weapons.  
  
Yue Ying draws her two daggers, and Bai Ge Ni her own sword.  
  
Yue Ying charges forward with her two daggers.  
  
YUE YING Little girl, where are you going?  
  
Bai Ge Ni draws her own sword, which shoots out of its scabbard like a gleaming silver eel.  
  
They actually erupt into a series of violent clashes while they are still running.  
  
Bai Ge Ni is the first to attack, and it is potentially fatal, aiming directly at Yue Ying's chest.  
  
BAI GE NI That is none of your business!  
  
Yue Ying blocks it with her two daggers and delivers two blows on her part, which Bai Ge Ni blocks with ease.  
  
The two clash for a while more, with no sign of slowing down from any side. This is one amazing display of speed and grace on the part of both. While Yue Ying is a showcase of extraordinary agility, Bai Ge Ni is not just elegant but also graceful in the handling of her weapon.  
  
Just then we see as Bai Ge Ni takes a leap onto a roof nearby, a move which Yue Ying follows.  
  
The two of them land on the roof, and engage in a lightning-fast duel as they land on the sloping portion of the roof that heads towards the eaves.  
  
Yue Ying takes a few swipes at Bai Ge Ni, but she responds instead with a graceful whirling dervish-like pirouette, followed by jumping off the roof.  
  
Yue Ying follows.  
  
The two land in another alley, again in close pursuit of each other.  
  
As soon as they emerge from the alley, Bai Ge Ni sees her bedroom.  
  
She goes from running to a glide and lands at the door to the room, pushing it open.  
  
INT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS BEDROOM Her eyes light up as she sees that the painting of her mother is still on the wall.  
  
She takes it down and rolls up the painting scroll.  
  
Yue Ying is nearly in the doorway when Bai Ge Ni turns back to make her getaway.  
  
She makes a quick run towards the doorway and.  
  
EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS NIGHT .Followed by a leaping glide into the air, during which she aims her sword directly at Yue Ying.  
  
Yue Ying counters the attack with her twin daggers.  
  
There is a brief clash in mid-air, a cyclonic face-off with Bai Ge Ni's attacks coming in all directions from above and Yue Ying managing just as well on her own.  
  
Then Bai Ge Ni lands and starts running again.  
  
The two girls chase each other until they reach the outer wall, where Bai Ge Ni leaps over and Yue Ying follows suit.  
  
EXT. GRASSY FIELD NIGHT Bai Ge Ni is running across the field holding the valued painting scroll, while Yue Ying is close behind.  
  
The fireflies are scattered about in the night air, lighting the two young women as though they were a pair of fairies.  
  
Bai Ge Ni leaps into the woods at the end of the field.  
  
Yue Ying follows suit.  
  
EXT. FOREST NIGHT The two young women continue their pursuit of each other through the forest.  
  
Now we see as YueYing is slowly catching on. She hasn't slowed any bit throughout this entire run.  
  
Bai Ge Ni, though, is running out of breath, she turns back, only to see Yue Ying catching on faster and faster.  
  
Then all of a sudden, someone takes a hit to Yue Ying's head.  
  
Yue Ying falls down flat on the ground, unconscious.  
  
Bai Ge Ni looks at her savior and realizes it is none other than her brother, Bai Jie himself, he has hit Yue Ying with the hilt of his sword.  
  
He stands there, his hand shaking.  
  
BAI GE NI Thanks, Jie.  
  
BAI JIE In the nick of time, huh? Now what do we do with her?  
  
BAI GE NI Let's take her with us, we need someone to take care of us anyway. Maybe father would be surprised that we've made a new friend.  
  
BAI JIE Yes, I guess he would.  
  
BAI GE NI Daybreak is coming soon, we'll rest now, and then we'll set off.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. GRAVEYARD OF SWORDS DAY Huo Ding Chu, Zhen Xi Ling and Wu Mo Li are walking through a strange and surprisingly eerie bamboo grove.  
  
All shrouded in the eerie early morning fog.  
  
Just at this moment they see a sword embedded in the ground.  
  
WU MO LI I don't like this place.  
  
HUO DING CHU The place I am taking you to has not been glimpsed by many within the martial realm. It is called the Graveyard of Swords.  
  
WU MO LI The Graveyard of Swords?  
  
ZHEN XI LING  
  
Literally hundreds of great fighters have met their ends here. We spent months tracking Lei Shun Jing and finally, we arrived at this place. Not many have lived to tell the tale among those who came. They all died mysteriously. Actually the reason they died, we found out, was due to the large amount of methane gas in this region. And they foolishly lit up the place at night.It soon spread that there was a curse. (Beat) Here it is.  
  
The three of them enter the fog-enshrouded part of the bamboo forest where the Grave of Swords is.  
  
And as the fog clears we see it, hundreds of swords scattered out over a huge radius. Each one different in design and look, but all of which are stunningly and masterfully crafted. One look shows that these swords must have belonged to great men and women within the martial realm.  
  
WU MO LI My God.  
  
HUO DING CHU And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Lei Shun Jing knows a lot about the secrets of the martial realm that we don't. (Beat) He knows the cave where the Mountain Knights inscribed their secrets, he challenged me to a duel there. He knows the burial grounds of various warriors, the hiding places of various manuals. The sword that he threw at my disciple was in fact, one he stole from its hiding place. (Beat) But there is no place within the martial realm that he treasures more than this, the Grave of Swords. It is his own creation, where the warriors he has defeated, and even a few say some he didn't defeat, have found their final resting place. Of all these graves there is one that will be of interest to you.  
  
Huo Ding Chu walks through the Grave of Swords until he comes upon a grave that simply has a wooden stick stuck in it in place of a sword.  
  
HUO DING CHU This is a strange case, in that it is actually an unmarked grave, and after Xi Ling and I dug it we discovered something strange about it.  
  
ZHEN XI LING It was empty.  
  
HUO DING CHU Indeed. But look whose name is written on that piece of wood.  
  
Wu Mo Li comes and reads it.  
  
WU MO LI Here lies My Son, Lei Yu. Oh, this is sick! Is he going to kill his own son just because he was a better fighter than he? (pauses) So what are you planning to do now that we are here?  
  
HUO DING CHU Simple, the three of us will hold this place for ransom! And then get him to divulge all of his secrets. That is the common reward we will have. When all these secrets see the light of day, imagine the new life it would give to the martial realm.  
  
WU MO LI So how are you going to hold the place ransom?  
  
HUO DING CHU  
  
Lei Shun Jing being as particular about the arrangement of the Graveyard of Swords as it is, is also very superstitious. He thinks that without a sword a swordsman will not be at peace. Therefore all we need to do is to switch the swords on a few of the graves. The removal of the swords is something he is most against as well. (to Xi Ling) Can you remember the original positions of the swords?  
  
Zhen Xi Ling looks around.  
  
POV SHOTS We zoom in on one of the swords, with a straight red blade, located right between a saber and an Arabian scimitar.  
  
We zoom in on another sword, a very heavy saber with holes for rings in its blade, located right beside two long and thin swords.  
  
We zoom in on a third, which is a slightly curved and tapered one, resting beside two others, one with a serrated edge and the other with a curvy snaked blade.  
  
Zhen Xi Ling smiles as she sees all of them.  
  
MONTAGE: The swords are now all in different positions. Between the serrated and the curved swords is the heavy saber with ring holes, between the saber and the scimitar is the curved, tapered one, and in between the two long, thin swords is the straight red one.  
  
ZHEN XI LING It's done, all it takes is three switches and he will be scared out of his wits when he realizes that those three warriors will not be able to rest in peace!  
  
HUO DING CHU Nothing shall be able to stop us then. That old monster can keep his Graveyard of Swords for all he wants!  
  
Just at this moment Zhen Xi Ling spots something that catches her eye.  
  
ZHEN XI LING Hey, Master! Something's wrong!  
  
MONTAGE: We see altogether THREE more unmarked graves without swords in them!  
  
HUO DING CHU Someone has stolen swords from the Graveyard already? If the curse isn't enough to scare people!  
  
WU MO LI This is pathetic, you're risking too many lives for your own selfish goals!  
  
HUO DING CHU Now you don't understand. This is all for the greater good of everyone.  
  
WU MO LI Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it. I can't believe Master Huang was tricked into harboring the likes of you two. (Beat) You know, despite what everybody says, I'm starting to pity Lei Shun Jing. He may have done really wicked things, but what could have caused him to live like this? All alone, with only swords for company, no family nor friends.  
  
Just then we hear a singing voice come through the air.  
  
It is a young man, who we see is surrounded by children. This young man is dressed most elegantly, like a scholar.  
  
The young man is plainly dressed, as he hops along and sings his strange songs he seems to be leading the children on what looks like a field trip.  
  
YOUNG MAN (Singing) They shall be sung in history Dear as brothers in Camaraderie With swords in their hands And hope in their hearts They were scholars in the martial arts!  
  
They sought to change the world They told his majesty And they sure did Rid the world of villainy But about right and wrong They all saw it differently And overnight these friends Became mortal enemies!  
  
Though it was true that they were friends No one had predicted their tragic ends, Their hands are now drenched And their wounds can never mend. But in the words of my song They shall always stand As Heroes and Gentlemen!  
  
The children repeat after the strange young man as he sings.  
  
CHILDREN They shall be sung in history Dear as brothers in their camaraderie With swords in their hands And hope in their hearts.  
  
HUO DING CHU And what are those people doing here? Don't tell me they were the ones stealing the swords.  
  
ZHEN XI LING Yeah, they probably wandered in from the next village, better warn them away.  
  
She goes forward and warns the young man.  
  
ZHEN XI LING Hey you there! Don't come to this place, it's dangerous!  
  
YOUNG MAN Listen to that! (to children) Have you all come here before?  
  
CHILDREN  
  
YES!  
  
YOUNG MAN How many times?  
  
CHILDREN  
  
Many, many times!  
  
YOUNG MAN  
  
What is this place?  
  
CHILDREN  
  
The Graveyard of Swords!  
  
HUO DING CHU Listen, I'm not trying to be funny with you, but this place is dangerous.  
  
YOUNG MAN Is this place dangerous at all?  
  
CHILDREN  
  
No it isn't!  
  
YOUNG MAN  
  
Why?  
  
CHILDREN Because everybody here is dead!  
  
The children let out a huge burst of laughter together.  
  
YOUNG MAN  
  
Exactly, and what we do we know about dead people?  
  
CHILDREN Dead people can't do anything!  
  
They let out another burst of laughter.  
  
HUO DING CHU Listen, young man, I'm warning you again, where are you from?  
  
YOUNG MAN Oh sir, you must know that I've been around quite a lot. I just happen to be staying in a village nearby.  
  
HUO DING CHU What are you doing here?  
  
YOUNG MAN I brings the kids here, let them see the different kinds of swords on display.  
  
ZHEN XI LING This is not a game, and if you know what you're up against, you better stay away.  
  
YOUNG MAN Thanks for your advice, but I think I can handle my own. (to children) Come, let's explore the Graveyard of Swords.  
  
The young man continues his "game" as he walks the children through the Graveyard of Swords.  
  
Huo Ding Chu walks up to the young man.  
  
HUO DING CHU  
  
I am not kidding, you better stay away, you won't like the owner of this place when he comes back. That strange song you were singing just now, what was it about?  
  
YOUNG MAN Just a ballad really, about friendships broken and loyalties divided, don't people sing about it all the time?  
  
At this moment the children crowd around him.  
  
CHILDREN Please, sir, let us these swords! You tell us if we are correct or not!  
  
YOUNG MAN (to Huo Ding Chu) Sorry, but duty calls.  
  
The young man starts showing the children around the Graveyard of Swords.  
  
In front of different gravestones he stops and asks the children questions.  
  
YOUNG MAN Okay, this is the sword of.  
  
CHILDREN Qu I-Nu, Swordsmaster of the Western Lakes!  
  
YOUNG MAN  
  
Very good, and this is the sword of.  
  
CHILDREN The Third Prince of Tartar!  
  
YOUNG MAN Very, very good. And this sword belongs to.  
  
CHILDREN A Caliph of Arabia!  
  
YOUNG MAN  
  
This one?  
  
CHILDREN Ju Qiu Niang, Lady of Autumn!  
  
YOUNG MAN Very, very good! You got four questions correct! (Beat) Now, you know they all like to say that this place is haunted, right? That there is a curse on it? Is there really a curse?  
  
CHILDREN NO!  
  
YOUNG MAN Why can't there be a curse here?  
  
CHILDREN Curses are in the human heart! You curse somebody, you live without peace!  
  
YOUNG MAN  
  
Excellent! Now tell me, are these buried in these graves heroes?  
  
CHILDREN YES. And NO.  
  
YOUNG MAN Tell me why?  
  
CHILDREN  
  
They are heroes because they did great things while they were alive, they upheld what they believed in, their words and deeds were one.  
  
YOUNG MAN Why are they not heroes?  
  
CHILDREN Because they are dead. The dead can't do anything!  
  
YOUNG MAN Excellent, now as my gift to these heroes I will offer them some fine wine.  
  
He takes out a gourd from around his waist and starts pouring the contents onto the various graves.  
  
The children start to laugh at him.  
  
CHILDREN It's water, not wine!  
  
The young man jumps towards the laughing children.  
  
YOUNG MAN  
  
It's good that you know, but let me tell you. The dead can't tell the difference, can they?  
  
The children laugh out loud once more.  
  
CHILDREN No, they can't!  
  
At this moment Huo Ding Chu senses something fishy about this young man.  
  
HUO DING CHU Listen, young man, you're pretending to be more than you really are. I can tell.  
  
YOUNG MAN  
  
Why did you say that?  
  
HUO DING CHU You really have an in-depth knowledge of swords for someone your age.  
  
YOUNG MAN Really, I can just say I'm pretty well read, that's all.  
  
HUO DING CHU Well, let me see then!  
  
Huo Ding Chu puts one of his hands into a grabbing position, and prepares to strike the Young Man.  
  
At this point the children around the Young Man start screaming.  
  
Wu Mo Li has gotten sick of it.  
  
WU MO LI Now stop it! You're going to hurt the children.  
  
The young man puts up one of his hands and nods his head.  
  
YOUNG MAN She's right, you know, you have no idea of the consequences of your actions.  
  
With all this opposition, Huo Ding Chu gives up.  
  
He turns to Zhen Xi Ling and Wu Mo Li.  
  
ZHEN XI LING He looks harmless, don't pick on him.  
  
HUO DING CHU Oh fine, fine, whatever you say, let's go then.  
  
The three of them turn away leave the young man and the children alone.  
  
Just then we hear Wu Mo Li speak up.  
  
WU MO LI We have to tell the village nearby of this young man, though, he doesn't seem to know what he's doing.  
  
ZHEN XI LING I agree. (to young man) Which village are you from?  
  
YOUNG MAN I'm staying in Almond Flower village, just West of here. But I'm always on the move, so I can't help you there.  
  
ZHEN XI LING Don't take their children here anymore, you have no idea what you're up against. Someone very dangerous visits this place often, and you don't want to be there when he finds out.  
  
YOUNG MAN I understand.  
  
The young man rallies the children, who are looking enthusiastically at the various swords in the graveyard, to him.  
  
YOUNG MAN Well, children, we have to listen to them. Sorry I can't take any of you here again.  
  
CHILDREN  
  
Aww.  
  
YOUNG MAN Well, let's head for home, shall we?  
  
CHILDREN Yeah!  
  
The children follow the young man into the distance.  
  
Meanwhile Huo Ding Chu leans against a bamboo and starts thinking.  
  
HUO DING CHU Well, if they didn't steal the swords from those graves, who did?  
  
ZHEN XI LING Well, Master, I have a plan!  
  
HUO DING CHU Really, let me listen to it.  
  
Zhen Xi Ling shouts out at the strange young man.  
  
ZHEN XI LING  
  
Hey, young man, scholar, can you come back!  
  
The young man, who has gone into the distance, turns back.  
  
YOUNG MAN Yes?  
  
ZHEN XI LING Are there any swords in the village nearby?  
  
The young man hesitates for a while before replying.  
  
YOUNG MAN Well, there's a blacksmith, but he's pretty third rate.  
  
A beam of delight appears on Zhen Xi Ling's face.  
  
ZHEN XI LING Never mind, just let him manufacture three swords for us.  
  
YOUNG MAN I'm sure warriors like you don't need his swords! Yours are better.  
  
ZHEN XI LING  
  
The reasons are too complicated to explain right now, please?  
  
The young man smiles at Zhen Xi Ling.  
  
ZHEN XI LING  
  
Well of course I will, don't you worry.  
  
WU MO LI What's the plan?  
  
ZHEN XI LING Since there are three swords missing from the graveyard so long as we replace them it'll provide a temporary distraction for Lei Shun Jing. It'll buy us time to try to solve the mystery of the stolen swords.  
  
WU MO LI You think that Lei Shun Jing won't notice that his swords have been replaced?  
  
ZHEN XI LING Three swords out of a couple hundred, sounds like I won't be able to notice it immediately.  
  
Wu Mo Li looks around.  
  
POV SHOT: Indeed, there are hundreds of swords scattered all over the place, stretching as far as the eye can see.  
  
EXT. VILLAGE DAY We are at a village at the foot of a mountain. Here we see Xu Lian Zhang, Prodigal Son and Dai Hao Chen walking along.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
Well, it sure looks like we have gone far enough from the Hidden Mountain Citadel, I'm sure they won't be able to find us for a while. (Beat) So what are we waiting for, let's eat!  
  
The other two nod.  
  
They see a modest little house nearby.  
  
PRODIGAL SON Well there's a nice household, we'll see if we can grab a bite there.  
  
The other two nod and follow him.  
  
Just then, from further up the road we see two women wandering.  
  
These don't look like ordinary peasant women at all, they look graceful and fairy-like, draped in long-sleeved dresses, their hair artfully done in buns. The makeup on their faces is light and tasteful.  
  
Both of them are carrying large and colorful umbrellas. And we hear that they are muttering something among themselves.  
  
They just walk past the three men.  
  
XU LIAN ZHANG  
  
There's something fishy about the two of them.  
  
DAI HAO CHEN Tell me about it. What could they be doing here?  
  
PRODIGAL SON We'll find it out after breakfast, so far they look just like they're.plain lost!  
  
The three men share a laugh.  
  
Then they continue their walk.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. LAKE DAY We are at a very large lake somewhere in a remote region of Western China, near the Tibetan border.  
  
It is here that we see as one man rides, slowly on a horse, and takes in the magnificent view of the lake.  
  
This man is none other than Bai Biao.  
  
He heaves a long and loud sigh as he looks at the calm mirror-like surface of the lake.  
  
BAI BIAO What peace this place offers.  
  
He gets off his horse and takes a walk along the banks of the lake.  
  
Then off-screen we see the reason why he is here.  
  
It is none other than a large tombstone seemingly erected in this vast expanse of nothingness.  
  
His wife's grave.  
  
Bai Biao just stands in front of the grave, he doesn't cry or wail or do anything of the like.  
  
He just sits down in front of it and looks at it.  
  
BAI BIAO You know, it's at these moments when I feel that so much is ahead of me that I come looking for you. There was so much to remember between you and I. I recall how I met you and fell in love with a woman from a country so different from my own. Those were the memories, weren't they?  
  
There is no reply.  
  
But Bai Biao behaves as though there was one.  
  
BAI BIAO They were, weren't they?  
  
But there is the sound of a horse galloping nearby.  
  
Bai Biao turns his head, it is that of a man in dressed in Tibetan clothes, judging by his smile as he sees Bai Biao, an old friend. And indeed he is.  
  
This man is an old friend of Bai Biao, formerly MENG LING ZHAN, now renamed TENZING SONGTSA, as he is now lives in Tibet.  
  
He gets off his horse and walks towards Bai Biao. The two men embrace each other fondly.  
  
SONGTSA It's been a long time. How is your dream going?  
  
BAI BIAO The Darklight Alliance's power grows in strength from day to day. The only thing is as of now the shard of Shi Wushuang's sword has yet to be found. If we can find that sword I believe we would at last discover the secret of one of the greatest swordsmen alive. (Beat) Look all around you, can you find upon this earth an ancient spirit of nobility?  
  
SONGTSA  
  
I believe that it exists somewhere indeed, why do you think I moved here? I fell in love with the soil and the people of Tibet when I came, just like that Chinese Princess who came more than two hundred years ago.  
  
We see the two of them silhouetted against the wide and towering sky above them, and the wide lake in front.  
  
BAI BIAO Indeed, but even here I only feel that I can reach out to touch the face of its beauty.  
  
SONGTSA  
  
Indeed, that is because you have lost your way.  
  
BAI BIAO What do you mean I have lost my way?  
  
Songtsa looks angrily at Bai Biao.  
  
SONGTSA  
  
Do you call drenching your hands in the blood of others the way? Drinking the blood of your enemies and cutting off their heads?  
  
BAI BIAO You don't understand the feeling. There is nothing like drinking his blood of a worthy enemy to feel his strength and essence overpowering you like a fine wine. It's almost like thanking him!  
  
SONGTSA  
  
You're sick!  
  
BAI BIAO You should try it too, it works wonders!  
  
There is a brief stand off of anger between the two men.  
  
But it doesn't erupt into violence at all.  
  
SONGTSA  
  
Whatever happened to those days where we were young and hopeful?  
  
Bai Biao sighs and turns his head towards the lake.  
  
BAI BIAO They've gone, now it's up to others to be young already, but hopeful, we can always be. I'm hopeful, that one day I will be as great as the swordsmen of eras past.  
  
SONGTSA  
  
You know, of late they have written a song about us, back then.  
  
BAI BIAO I know.  
  
Then at this moment Songtsa bursts into song.  
  
SONGTSA (singing) They shall be sung in history Dear as brothers in Camaraderie With swords in their hands And hope in their hearts They were scholars in the martial arts!  
  
They sought to change the world They told his majesty And they sure did Rid the world of villainy But about right and wrong They all saw it differently And overnight these friends Became mortal enemies!  
  
Though it was true that they were friends No one had predicted their tragic ends, Their hands are now drenched And their wounds can never mend. But in the words of my song They shall always stand As Heroes and Gentlemen!  
  
BAI BIAO  
  
That was what they knew us as back then, the Heroic Gentlemen. I can still remember those days. (Beat) Back then we had a lot of things to fight for, our Empire, our People, each other. Everything that we felt belonged to ours.  
  
It is at this moment that Bai Biao turns to the gravestone again.  
  
BAI BIAO But now do you know what it is that we fight for?  
  
As Bai Biao looks at the gravestone we realize that the look of sadness has crept into his eyes.  
  
BAI BIAO My children. They are the only people who I can leave the world for when I die.  
  
SONGTSA  
  
Yeah, I've got children too, I know.  
  
BAI BIAO Do you have any models for a father?  
  
SONGTSA  
  
My own, but.  
  
BAI BIAO For me, it was none other than An Nuo Ran, the father of An Hao Hai. Have you heard the story of An Nuo Ran? It's told in song already even though it just happened like.sixty years ago.  
  
SONGTSA  
  
Yes, but I can't really remember the lyrics to it, but I can just remember what it's about.  
  
Songtsa nods, and we see that the tune that he sings is exactly the tune that Lei Shun Jing sang earlier.  
  
As he whistles we also see as the gentle flute music of Yue Tian Jun joins in.  
  
At this moment we see stills of the past SUPERIMPOSED on the image of Bai Biao. Bai Biao DISSOLVES into the images but continues on voice-over.  
  
These stills dissolve into each other.  
  
The first still is that of a man dressed in red sheriff robes, sitting astride a horse.  
  
BAI BIAO(v/o) Ah yes.long ago there was a county sheriff, a man of an iron dedication to his cause and to his chief.  
  
The second still is that of a fat and obnoxious man barking out an order to the man dressed in red sheriff robes.  
  
BAI BIAO (v/o) When the county official, corrupt and sniveling man that he was, found that his bride was lost in the mountains, he sent the sheriff to find the bride. (Beat) The sheriff found her indeed, in a cave where she was watched over by seven outlaws. The sheriff's men and the outlaws fought long and hard, and countless drops of blood were spilled.  
  
The third still we see now, the sheriff and his constables fighting against the outlaws, who are of course the Mountain Knights.  
  
BAI BIAO(v/o) But isn't it always the way it has to be? Even though this county sheriff completed the mission, it was at a terrible price. He lost most of his men, and in the process disfigured the bride that was meant for the county official.  
  
The fourth still we see as the sheriff stands alone in the middle of the cave, bodies strewn at his feet, the disfigured bride by his side, a gash spurting out blood from beneath her eye.  
  
BAI BIAO(v/o) And for that, the county official didn't want the bride anymore.  
  
The next still is the disfigured bride being chased out by the county sheriff from his mansion.  
  
BAI BIAO(v/o) But in addition to that, he also set his sights on a mural in the cave of a woman so beautiful that the mere thought of her kept him off the fact he was already married, and he couldn't stand it too, because that woman was the lover of his father's enemy, the Faery Swordswoman Ye Ming Hua!  
  
The next still we see the pictures of Ye Ming Hua and Shi Wu Shuang in the cave, hugging each other, forever inseparable.  
  
BAI BIAO(cont.) His father's enemy was none other than Shi Wushuang, the greatest swordsman of his time!  
  
The still CLOSES UP on the ruggedly handsome visage of Shi Wushuang.  
  
BAI BIAO (cont.) And he was An Nuo Ran, son of the great An Se Qiu, he couldn't take it. Jealousy and uncontrollable love inflamed his heart at the same time.  
  
The next still is of a crazed An Nuo Ran, gritting his teeth in shame.  
  
BAI BIAO(cont.) Soon he couldn't keep his wife in his mind, he slowly neglected her, even when she was pregnant, he rarely came to see her, and one day, she ran away.  
  
The next still is of An Nuo Ran again, reading a note by his wife that she has pinned to his door and crying.  
  
BAI BIAO(Cont.) He was determined above all things to set it right with her, but alas there was no limit to the rejection to which he would receive.  
  
The next still is of An Nuo Ran returning from an island in the middle of the ocean on a single ship, empty-handed.  
  
BAI BIAO (Cont.) Time and time again he would get it, but he never gave up.  
  
The next still of An Nuo Ran, now older, paying a visit to his wife as she resides in a round hut on the Mongol frontier. His wife lays a hand on his chest, her expression is steely.  
  
BAI BIAO (cont.)  
  
Time and time again she could realize when it was that he wasn't true to her, he had no love for her anymore, all taken away by the thoughts of Ye Ming Hua.  
  
THE SEQUENCE ENDS  
  
EXT. LAKE DAY Bai Biao closes his eyes as he finishes off his story.  
  
BAI BIAO And so this tale ends, he would never see his wife and son again until the day he died. His son was none other than An Hao Hai. What will and determination he had. What irony that by being absent, he taught his children a great gift: never to stop living as long as you had a reason to go on. (Beat) If only that couple could see they truly were a match made for each other, both ironclad in their will and dignity. (Pauses) Sometimes I think it is truly a miracle that people can be together in this life, because to find a true friend or a companion is never an easy thing.  
  
SONGTSA  
  
I have both.  
  
BAI BIAO I believe that your family awaits you back home.  
  
SONGTSA  
  
Indeed, they do.  
  
Upon finishing this, Songtsa walks back to his horse, leaps onto it and rides away.  
  
Bai Biao can only watch as his friend disappears back to his family, his village, his home.  
  
While he stands there, alone by the lake, with only the tombstone for company.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS DAY It is here that we see as Xu Wan Gang awaits Yue Ying to no avail.  
  
As he walks through he sees that the various members of the "armed escorts" have had a field day plundering the entire compound.  
  
He shakes his head sadly as he walks.  
  
Then he turns his head, and realizes that Lei Shun Jing is walking beside him too.  
  
There is still one sword left among the three that Lei has on his back.  
  
Xu Wan Gang turns to the old man.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Can you tell me who that remaining sword is for?  
  
LEI SHUN JING My son.  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
You have a son?  
  
Lei Shun Jing nods silently.  
  
LEI SHUN JING Too bad I haven't seen him for many years now, wonder what has become of him.  
  
Then Lei Shun Jing walks off.  
  
Xu Wan Gang is left with a faraway look in his eyes.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. FOREST DAY In the forest we see that Yue Ying wakes up to the sound of Bai Biao's children on both her left and right.  
  
She gets up from her spot and smiles at the two of them.  
  
Bai Ge Ni unrolls the painting scroll and shows her the painting of her mother that she has so snatched from within the mansion.  
  
Yue Ying smiles as she sees it.  
  
YUE YING Your mother is a very beautiful woman.  
  
BAI GE NI She's dead.  
  
Yue Ying looks sadly at the two children and strokes their slightly golden- brown hair with both her hands.  
  
The morning light is bright in the forest.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. VILLAGE DAY Prodigal Son, Xu Lian Zhang and Dai Hao Chen leave the hut where they've been having lunch, following the farmer.  
  
FARMER  
  
It's great that three of you swordsmen are ready to help me, because there's really been a terror who lives in the forest nearby. I'll show you where you can confront him.  
  
The three follow the farmer deep into the forest...  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. AN KUI'S MANSIONS DAY We see as the "armed escorts" load the various possessions of the mansion onto another horse and carriage.  
  
All of this is supervised by Pathfinder.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
Very good, all this will go to the Capital.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. FOREST DAY We are on the path back to the cave of the Mountain Knights with Pathfinder and his entourage, now greatly increased.  
  
PATHFINDER Now we shall go back to the cave, where with all this new manpower we will finally be able to remove all the instructions from the cave walls.  
  
Xu Wan Gang, though, is looking at Pathfinder with much disdain.  
  
XU WAN GANG What about Yue Ying, aren't you going to find her?  
  
PATHFINDER We have to continue without her, there is no other way. (looks at Xu) Hey, nice new sword, who gave it to you?  
  
XU WAN GANG  
  
Lei Shun Jing.  
  
PATHFINDER  
  
He's one funny man.  
  
Xu Wan Gang turns around. Feng Xian is laughing and talking as usual with his new friends.  
  
XU WAN GANG Sir, do you know anything about the Gu family?  
  
There is a look of fear in Pathfinder's eyes as he hears that word.  
  
PATHFINDER The Gu family? Well, I can't say I do.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. GRAVEYARD OF SWORDS DAY The young man we have seen from a few days before comes with his three swords, which he gives to Zhen Xi Ling.  
  
She takes the swords and pays him the money.  
  
We see as she plants the three swords inside the unmarked graves.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. PLUM BLOSSOM GROVE DAY We see, on a strange island in the middle of a large lake where many plum blossom trees grow, that a fiery-haired middle-aged woman is admiring the many trees.  
  
This is none other than WU XUANMEI, Mistress of the Plum Blossoms.  
  
Two female fighters, dressed just like the fairy-like women we saw earlier on at the village, are addressing her as they run towards her.  
  
FIGHTER#1 Madam, our forces progress has been good. Soon we will destroy the Hidden Mountain Society.  
  
WU XUAN MEI Excellent.  
  
She takes a blossom and smells it.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. VILLAGE DAY An Kui is walking about, he is tired.  
  
AN KUI They will pay, they will pay for this, my father will see that he pays!  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. PLAIN EVENING We see as Chu Huan Xian struggles on his crutches as waiting at the horizon is another man, his brother, CHU HUAN QING, on horseback.  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN Brother.  
  
CHU HUAN QING Shut up, your ways have disgraced the family, causing more unnecessary loss of lives than is needed, but I shall retrieve the shard true to the wishes of Prodigal Son!  
  
CHU HUAN XIAN Oh thank you, thank you so much.  
  
Chu Huan Qing just rides off with his entourage, without so much as a care for his brother.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. PLAINS DAY We see as a solitary rider, wearing the symbol of the Darklight Alliance, rides along. On his face is an expression of pure anguish, tears are flowing out of his eyes.  
  
Behind him is another member of the Darklight Alliance, with hands sliced off and trying to carry the message with his twin stumps.  
  
As he rides along we see other similar riders waiting along the road, on horseback.  
  
The leader of the other cavalry senses something is wrong.  
  
CAVALRY LEADER Is the coast clear.?  
  
The rider's despair-filled reply cuts him off.  
  
RIDER Alert! Alert, tragedy has befallen the Alliance! The shard of the Undefeated Sword has fallen into enemy hands! Captain Lian Wen, Master An, Young Mistress Bai and Young Master Bai are all likely dead!  
  
The other riders are taken aback by this shocking piece of news and split off in several different directions!  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. FOREST NIGHT Yue Ying is sitting around a campfire with Bai Biao's children. As she talks to them she removes her sword, which gleams in the moonlight.  
  
She points it skyward, where it glistens with the light of a solitary star.  
  
DISSOLVE TO: EXT. FOREST NIGHT Around another forest clearing, this time with Pathfinder's men sleeping all around, Xu Wan Gang stays awake, and in the light of the campfire and the moon, removes his sword from its scabbard.  
  
Then he points it skyward.  
  
In a SPLIT SCREEN, we see as Yue Ying and Xu Wan Gang point their swords towards the sky on both sides, the swords intersecting right in the middle of the panels.  
  
Then we FADE TO BLACK  
  
TO BE CONTINUED. 


End file.
